


Melanin

by AislingSiobhan



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Hellboy (Movies)
Genre: AU, Crossover, F/M, Language, Love at First Sight, M/M, Minor Violence, Mythical Beings & Creatures, Old fic that I'm moving over from FFNet, Slash, Soulmates, and then you're just slow, unless you're a vengence-driven elf
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-13
Updated: 2014-01-15
Packaged: 2018-01-08 14:41:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 21,915
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1133843
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AislingSiobhan/pseuds/AislingSiobhan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Vernon couldn’t abide a freak in his home, so he found more freaks to send Harry to. Before Prince Nuada stabs Hellboy, Harry returns to the BPRD, and saves Hellboy’s life. He also happens to be Nuada’s melanin; his soul mate. But will it be enough to stop Nuada from trying to destroy the world?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter I

EDIT: Forgot the translations. They're at the bottom now.

**“Melanin”**

**Disclaimer:** Harry Potter, et all are property of JK Rowling, and Bloomsbury, and Warner Bros and all those other nifty people that make it so we can read and watch the Potterverse whenever we feel like it. I make no money from this, just so you know. Hellboy is also not mine; I make no money from the Hellboy comics or movies. Mostly this is from the films, as I never read the Hellboy comics.  
 **Summary:** [Nuada/HP] Vernon couldn’t abide a freak in his home, so he found more freaks to send Harry to. Before Prince Nuada stabs Hellboy, Harry returns to the BPRD, and saves Hellboy’s life. He also happens to be Nuada’s melanin; his soul mate. But will it be enough to stop Nuada from trying to destroy the world? Crossover. AU.  
 **Warnings:** Slash. Nuada/HP. Violence. Creature Fic. Language.  
 **Rating:** R for violence and language. 

_XXX_

Prince Nuada: “let this remind you why you once feared the dark.” 

**Words:** 10,001  
 **Chapter 1/2**  
 **Melanin**  
1984

If there was anyone in the world who would claim that they were completely, one-hundred-percent normal it was Vernon Dursley. As a child, Vernon had hated fairy tales, and romantic films, and anything else he deemed to be abnormal. He was a realist. He didn’t believe in filth like that. His desire to be normal only intensified when he met Petunia Evans. Petunia also considered herself normal. Petunia’s parents were normal as well, so Vernon was happy enough to meet them. But her sister, Lily, on the other hand was a far cry from ordinary. 

While Vernon and Petunia would be considered to be Muggles, there was a world, hidden from them, that existed. In this world lived Witches, and Wizards, and Vampires, and Werewolves, and all other types of fascinating creatures. Lily Evans was one such Witch. The day she turned eleven-years-old she received a letter inviting her to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It was at this school that she met James Potter, a Wizard. As anyone could predict, Vernon despised James as much as he feared Lily. He couldn’t bring himself to believe that anybody related to his ‘dear, sweet Petunia’ could be as evil as James Potter, so, instead, he wondered if she was possessed. 

Then the Potter boy was born. 

The fact that Lily had the gall to invite them to his christening (imagine, christening a heathen witch) when the Potters hadn’t bothered going to Dudley’s was like rubbing salt in a wound for Vernon. It was from that day onwards that he decided he hated Lily as much as James. When they both got themselves blown up, he figured good riddance to bad rubbish. Until the morning he was woken by Petunia’s screaming. That same morning, he rushed down the stairs, and found Harry Potter sleeping on his doorstep. 

Harry’s life wasn’t too bad in comparison to some other Muggleborns. He wasn’t beaten, or exorcised or anything of the sort. Though, from the moment he arrived the Dursleys didn’t think too highly of him. 

“Well,” Petunia sniffed, nudging Harry into the house with her foot. “What am I supposed to do with the little freak?”

“Do you think they’re watching?” Vernon whispered, his moustache quivering. 

“Oh I very well don’t care, Vernon. What are we to do? We can’t leave the little blighter near Dudders. What if he uses magic on him?”

“He can use magic? This young?” Vernon shuddered at the thought. 

Petunia shrugged. She bent down, and picked Harry up. Holding him an arms length away from her body she walked to the cupboard under the stairs and deposited the child there. “I don’t know. That Dumbledee man said he was powerful, so maybe. I don’t want to take any chances, Vernon.”

“Right, right, Dudley is more important.” The two of them went back to bed, but first they woke Dudley and brought him into the room with them. 

Harry slept in the cupboard under the stairs for the next three years. He was fed every morning, by Vernon who threw a bottle into the cupboard and locked the door after himself. He was given a slice of toast at lunchtime, folded up and crammed through the grate in the door, and at dinnertime he was given another bottle. He would drink the second bottle as Petunia gave him his only nappy change of the day on the hallway floor. 

The morning Harry turned four he had a nightmare. It started off nicely enough. There were some trees and lots of green light, but it wasn’t too bad. He had opened his eyes, only to find he was standing among the trees and there were lots of other people there. They all wore black dresses, and carried white masks in their hands. Each of them stared right past Harry, as if he wasn’t even there. There were more flashes of green light, and then with a cackle and a bright red explosion, Harry woke up screaming. 

Vernon pulled him out of the cupboard by his feet. “Shut up, shut up, you bloody boy!” The Muggle shouted. 

“S-Sorry,” he murmured. He kept his eyes downcast. As Harry had been screaming, all of the windows in the bottom floor of the house had shattered. 

Petunia was standing in the hallway wringing her hands and looking around herself with tears in her eyes. “I can’t do it anymore. We can’t, we can’t.” Vernon nodded at her, slowly, and shoved Harry back into the cupboard without another word. 

“I’ll take care of it, pet.” 

Petunia watched him leave the house for work, and spent the rest of the day ignoring Harry as he cried, begging for something to eat. “Bad children don’t get food,” she told him sternly. 

When Vernon came home, he brought a stranger with him. “Sit down, sit down,” he said hurriedly. Petunia ran into the kitchen, and waited there as the kettle boiled. When she came back, she offered the stranger a cup with a forced smile. “Dear, this is Professor Trevor Bruttenholm. Sir, this is my wife Petunia.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” the man said, holding out his hand. Petunia took it hesitantly, gave it one hard shake and then drew back as it he had burnt her. It was all she could do not to rub her hand against her shirt after. The professor was tall, and at least in his fifties, with hair that was thinning on top and going white around the edges. “Could I please meet this boy?”

“I’ll get him.” Petunia said. She left the room quickly, pulled Harry from the cupboard, and hissed, “tell him you were upstairs if he asks.” 

“Ah there he is!” Vernon shouted, moving quickly to pull Harry into a hug. The four-year-old tensed, flinching back from his uncle in fear. He looked around in confussion as Vernon didn’t push him or shout at him, and instead just held him. The Professor watched them with narrowed eyes, seeing Harry’s discomfort for what it was. “Harry, this is Professor-”

“You can call me father if you’d like, but my name is Trevor.” The man stood up. He moved to crouch in front of Harry and held his hand out, slowly so as not to startle the boy. “It’s very nice to meet you.”

“Le suilon,”1 the boy whispered, a small smile on his lips. 

The Professor drew his hand back, a bemused smile on his face. “Mae govannen,”2 he answered the child in Elvish. 

Not many humans could speak the language of the Elves, but Trevor was a professor of the Occult, and as such he had learnt as much as he possibly could about all manner of different species and creatures. Those the world believed in and those they had forgotten about as well. The Elves were one of those species. 

He had been fortunate enough to meet an Elf once. The beautiful Princess Nuala had found him alone one night, a very long time ago, when he had still be a young man. It was before the world against Hitler, and he had been lost and hungry and she had offered him some of her own food. Together they had sat and talked and she taught him to say a few phrases in her language before they went to sleep. When he woke, she was gone, but she had left him a book and he had devoured the words written inside of it. He had always hoped to meet her twin, Nuada, but with the abandonment of the Golden Army the Prince had gone into exile and so Trevor had pushed that notion aside. It was very unlikely that anyone would ever hear from the Prince again. 

He had never seen or heard of a human child who could speak the Elven language as if it were its own before. The boy in front of him, a Wizard, and most certainly not an Elf spoke without a trace of an accent. He pronounced the words fluently, easily, and even Trevor who had years of practice found his pronunciation below par at times. 

“Lle tyava quel?”3 Harry asked quietly. The professor had gone silent and had just been staring at him for a few minutes. Vernon’s grip on his shoulder had tightened, and it was starting to hurt now. 

“Oh, oh,” the man said shaking his head, “yes I’m fine. I just got lost in thought.” He frowned slightly before he shook it away. “Come on then, Harry.” He held his hand out and Harry reached out for it. Vernon squeezed his shoulder again, before finally letting the child go. “I’ll take good care of him. He’ll be able to write to you, or phone you-”

“NO!” Petunia shouted. “No, we don’t want to hear from him.” She said shrilly. Harry winced as she turned and practically ran from the living room. 

“Mr. Dursley.” Trevor nodded his head and the Muggle stepped out of the way. The Professor led Harry past the Muggle, and to the door. “Say goodbye, Harry.”

A part of him knew it would annoy the Dursleys very much, and another part of him was pleased by the fact that he could speak a language that actually existed. When Petunia first heard him answer in Elvish, he was slapped and told to speak English. He was told he was making the language up, but if the Professor spoke it too then it must be real. “Mára mesta,”4 He waited for a moment, till Vernon was out of sight. Then he added, “tevenyel.”5

“Oh Ainion,”6 the Professor said softly. He laid his hand on Harry’s head, his fingers running lightly through his silky black hair. “I’ll take much better care of you, I promise.”

“Why did you call me that? My name is Harry, not Angelo.” 

“Well, you see, I already have an adopted son. He happens to be the son of a demon Prince of Sheol. He’s around forty now, and he’s as much of a little devil as he was when he first arrived. Since I already have a demon for a son, I figured I needed a little angel as well.” Trevor smiled, and lifted the child into his arms. “Ainion means Angel in Elvish. I rather thought it suits you.”

“If you are giving me an Elven name, it would have to be Marcaunon7. That is my name after all.”

“You, little one, are too astute for your age.” Trevor carried him over to a car that was parked across the road. He opened the door with a soft smile. “In you go.” He said, setting Harry down on the chair. “Ok, this is captain Ben Daimio.” The man in the drivers seat turned around and waved at Harry. “He’s going to bring us to the airport, and then we’ll fly to your new home.”

“Where is it?”

“We live in America, at a airbase in New Mexico most of the time. At the moment, we’re staying in a house of mine, in New York.”

“Why do you live in an air base?” Harry asked softly as the car engine turned over and they began to drive off down the street. 

“I work for the government.” Harry tensed up, fully believing his uncle had sent him away to be experimented on. “For the Federal Bureau for Paranormal Research and Development. When you grow up, you can be an investigator like Hellboy.”

Harry relaxed slightly. “Who is Hellboy?” Harry asked innocently. 

The car swerved. “What?” Ben asked in shock. “You’ve never heard of Hellboy?” 

“He’s my son.” Trevor answered with a chuckle. They drove the rest of the way in silence. 

_XXX_

1994 

Harry’s life had been a good one since then. At first he had probably offended quite a few people because he had been unable to stop staring, but he soon got used to the different types of creatures that lived there. They had stayed in the Professor’s New York mansion for a few months, but when Hellboy had been called out on a mission the rest of them headed back to New Mexico. Since then, Harry had been taken to live in several other places across America, and he’d even gone back to London with them once to track down Edward Stokes, a canabalistic ghoul who Hellboy had finally found and destroyed in Hammersmith cemetary. 

When Harry turned fourteen, a letter arrived in the post. 

_Mr. Marcaunon Ainion Bruttenholm,_  
BPRD  
c/o United States Government  
New Mexico  
United States of America 

_Dear Mr. Bruttenhold,_

_It may seem peculiar that you are hearing from me now, when so long has gone by since I last saw you. You were so small when I was last near you, but I admit I thought of you often. I was assured that you were being cared for by someone trustworthy, and so I left you alone. But unfortunately, the time has come when you must, and I stress the word must, return to your true home._

_Two years ago, you came back to England, to London in particular. I do not know why you were there, but I could feel your magic. Whoever has been training you has done a magnificant job, Harry, but you need better training._

_Yes, I know you used to be Harry Potter. I used to know your parents. When they died, I thought you would be safe with your Muggle Aunt and her family, but apparently they didn’t feel the same way. No matter; as long as you are happy and safe now. There is great evil in the world, my boy. One such evil goes by the name of Lord Voldemort, and with the death of your parents you managed somehow to defeat him. But his banishment was only temporary and a month ago, he returned. I fear the war between Wizards, light and dark, is about to erupt, and it will be the bloodiest war the world had ever seen._

_I beg of you to return. Let us train you. You, who is prohacised to defeat the Lord Voldemort, and when you are ready I will be beside you, fighting to protect our world._

_If you agree, just say, ‘Portus’._

_Sincerely, Albus Dumbledore. Headmaster of Hogwarts._

He read it over, and then re-read it. With a frown he passed it to his father. “Ainion,” the Professor said, “you do not have to go. You’re a child, you can’t be expected to go off on your own and fight evil. You’re powerful yes, but,” Harry opened his mouth to protest but the Professor kept talking. “but, you are still a child. And I won’t have a child of mine running around on their own on the other side of the world.”

“He won’t be alone.” A voice said softly. Everyone turned to stare at Liz Sherman. While completely human in appearance, Liz had the power to set and control fires with her mind. The Pyrokinetic also happened to be Hellboy’s girlfriend. “I’ll go with him. No, Red,” she said as the other son of the Professor opened his mouth. Hellboy was large, and red. One of his hands was made of stone, and he had two horns on his forehead which he filed down to look more normal. “Red, you’re needed here. Maybe someone there can give me some training too.”

She was ten years older than Harry, and while she was arguably as powerful, she had much less control over her magic than Harry did over his. Liz actually was looking forward to leaving. Being around Hellboy for too long was a straining experience, and while she loved him, she hated him in equal parts. But as they say, love and hate are two sides of the same coin. She supposed she couldn’t love _all_ of him _all_ of the time. 

“Very well,” Trevor said with a sigh. He sat down in one of the chairs around the table and smiled as Harry sat in the chair closest to him. “Stay safe.” 

“Do you think someone will come to get us?” Liz asked as she reached out to squeeze Harry’s shoulder. 

He grinned at her. “Let’s see, shall we? Portus.” With a pop, and a feeling similar to being hooked in the stomach by a fishing line, both Liz and Harry dissapeared with the letter. 

Harry met many different types of people, some he had encountered before, like Vampires and Werewolves, and some that he hadn’t. He was rather impressed by the Veela women he had noticed wondering around. Apparently, they had remained in the country after playing mascots for their national Quidditch team earlier that year. Harry didn’t know what Quidditch was and he didn’t particularly care. Especailly not after Dumbledore met them, and took them both shopping. 

Apparently Harry’s parents had been quite rich, and with the money they had left him, he bought a wand. Then he bought some Wizarding clothing for Liz and himself, and he also bought a few small, pretty things for all of his family back in the States. Despite the fact that he was fourteen, they placed him into his first year at Hogwarts. He was three years older than his classmates, but he didn’t care too much because Liz stayed with him at all times, even when he slept. 

“She’s my brother’s girlfriend, ew!” He had said, when his Head of House found him curled up beside her one night, and docked points for his indiscretion. Severus Snape was not a nice man, but he didn’t seem to hate Harry as much as Dumbledore had warned him Snape might. Harry wouldn’t have cared anyway. Living with Hellboy had taught Harry to let insults fly right over his head: after all, one of the brothers had to be level headed. It wouldn’t be very fair on the humans if both of them got angry at the same time. 

Harry did all he could to help the war effort, in between studying and exams, and Quidditch practise, which Snape insisted he attend. 

When the war finally came to a head, it was June of 2000, and Harry was just about finished with his sixth year. While Harry had been trained in every area of magic the Wizards could find a teacher for, but there weren’t that many Elementals left. There wasn’t much they could do to help Liz except for teaching her Occlumency, but even then she still found it hard to handle her emotions. The control she held over the fire depended on the control she had over her emotions. During the final battle, Harry managed to kill Voldemort. However, he was severly injured in the process, and as he lay, panting on the ground beside her, Liz lost what little control she had left. 

The fire sprang up around her, licking at her face and her hands, and scorching the ground she sat upon. She cradled Harry against her chest, and anyone who came too close to him was burnt or killed by her magic. She couldn’t control it, she wasn’t strong enough to stop it, and her fear for Harry made her numb to the pain she was causing others. When she was subdued, by magic, she had already killed ten people, four of whom had fought on Harry’s side of the war. 

Harry had chosen to stay and finish his last year of schooling. But Liz had run away. She went back to America. The moment she arrived in New York she checked herself in to a mental hospital, and listed Harry as her only next of kin. Harry would be the only person allowed to visit her. 

_XXX_

2004

Harry sat stiffly. 

Hellboy had saved the world from the threath of Rasputin and Kroenen, but his world was over. Harry had gone travelling around the world once he had graduated from Hogwarts. A boy he had made friends with had gone with him, and the two of them had enjoyed the sights, the food, and each other for three years. Of those three years, Liz remained in the hospital until Hellboy begged her to come back to them. Harry had come home, happy and excited, despite having left his friend, Draco, behind in Wiltshire; he expecting to be greeted back warmly by his father. 

But his father wasn’t there. 

Kroenen had murdered his father, and while Hellboy had gotten his own revenge Harry hadn’t been around to help. He didn’t have the closure his brother had gotten, nor had he the same amount of time to move past his grief. He sat now, surrounded on all sides by grievers and well wishers and nosy so-and-sos who just wanted what was ‘best’ for him. He was twenty-four bloody years old! He didn’t need some stranger coming into his life to take care of him. He was perfectly capable of taking care of himself. 

He didn’t even need Hellboy. 

Fuck Hellboy, he thought angrily. If Hellboy had been any good he would have told him their father was dead. Harry had arrived at the Mansion only ten minutes after the others had gotten back from Moscow. They had buried the Professor before they left for Russia, but they had never had a ceremony. So they were having one now. Harry wondered if he would have been invited. Maybe they just wouldn’t have bothered? After all he hadn’t come back to visit Liz while he was travelling, so why would they extend to him any courtesy? 

But damn it, he cursed to himself, it was his father! The only adult he could ever remember loving him! 

When the ceremony was over, Harry didn’t speak to anyone. Angry, and bitter, he walked away from the rest of the mourners. Hellboy watched him go. He narrowed his eyes as his brother walked away from them, but Abe grabbed hold of his arm. 

“Let him grieve.” The amphibian said. He held his hand up, palm facing towards Harry’s retreating form and said, “Ainion is in pain. He needs some time alone.”

“How much time?” Was Hellboy’s gruff reply. 

“I do not know.”

Harry didn’t come back for four years. 

_XXX_

2008

Prince Nuada did not believe that human kind could be redeemed. 

Many years ago he had begged his father, the one-armed Balor of Bethmoora, to allow the Goblins to create a mechanical army for them. They used the army to fight with the humans, and the humans were driven to near extinction. Seeing the destruction caused by his army the Woodland King forged a truce with the humans. The humans would keep the cities, and in return they would stay out of the forests. Nuada did not agree. He could not believe that the humans would up hold their end of the bargain, and so he left his home and his family and was not seen for more than one hundred years. With the passing of time the humans slowly forgot about the Elves and those other creatures that had sided with the Elves. As they forgot the creatures, they forgot the treaty. 

Nuada sneered as he watched several bulldozers at work. Where they stood, used to stand several trees, all of which were older than the men who operated the machinery. The Prince narrowed his eyes as the humans felled another tree. He turned his back on them. 

He crossed the road, and waited, looking up at the large doors in front of him. Mr. Wink would arrive soon, and then he could have his revenge. 

“Ah, you’re here.” The creature before him gave a grunt. Mr. Wink could only be described as the offspring of a troll and a goblin. He was tall, and as strong as any troll, but he had the weight of a goblin, and the brains and the cruelty. “You have them?” Mr. Wink lifted his arms, showing off the two metal boxes he carried. The front of each box was emblazoned with the royal crest, turned upside down. “Let’s go inside, shall we?”

Nuada watched the humans. From where he stood, they couldn’t see him but he had a perfect view. The humans he was watching were not in the auction room with the others, but one of the men was the auctioneer. The auctioneer sighed, and Nuada had no trouble hearing what was said. Elves had far better senses than humans and even the words that were whispered were loud enough for Nuada to hear from the other room. He held his finger to his lips and turned so Mr. Wink could see him. The troll stopped moving. 

“My Lord, Ainion, would like to inquire after one of your collection.” The second man said. He was tall, with waist length brown hair pulled back by a ribbon. He wore Wizarding robes a shade darker than his hair colour, and they fell to the floor in soft waves around his slim figure. For a human, Nuada decided he was attractive. But what caught his attention was the name of this man’s master. 

Ainion. 

An Elvin name. 

The auctioneer sighed. “Which lot?” 

“The number I do not know. What Lord Potter searches for is the crown of Bethmoora. The one that controls the Golden Army. There should be three pieces, you have one, and my Lord wants it.”

“God no!” The auctioneer laughed. “That’s our main lot, I can’t give that away!”

The Wizard smiled. His lips pulled back over his teeth, showing the elongated eyeteeth that pointed to some Vampire blood in his line. “Ainion is willing to make it worth your while.” He waved a velvet pouch in the man’s face, but the human only turned his nose up. 

While he was tempted, he didn’t want to risk losing money by selling it to this strange man rather than auctioning it. “I’m afraid not.”

“My Lord will be most displeased.”

“Your _lord_ will have to get over it.” The auctioneer sneered. 

“He thought you might refuse. He has a message for you, in that case.” The auctioneer waved his hand in an ‘get on with it’ manner. The Wizard smirked, eyeteeth flashing again. “Llie n'vanima ar' lle atara lanneina.”8 The Wizard’s pronunciation wasn’t as good as Harry’s, but it was understandable. 

In the shadows, Prince Nuada suppressed a chuckle. It had been a long time since he had heard anyone speak his language, and the sound of it was welcome, even from this man who did it no justice. Nuada wondered if he might ever get to meet this Ainion, whether he be elf or otherwise. He would be interesting. 

“Oh, also, Dolle naa lost.”9

The auctioneer grimaced at the other man, before turning away. “Let’s get started,” he called and two more men entered the room. All three of them entered the adjacent room and closed the door behind them. The Wizard stared after them, a frown on his handsome face before he took a deep breath. 

He whistled. Prince Nuada jumped back in shock as a pure white owl flew right passed his head, and landed gracefully on the arm of the stranger. “Marcaunon will be very displeased, Hedwig. I wonder if he wishes me to kill them, and take the crown piece?” The owl gave a displeased hoot. “No, you’re right. As angry as he is with the world, Ainion will not have me kill in his name.” The owl took flight again, and then the man disappeared with a ‘pop’. 

Nuada stepped further into the room, looking around with narrowed eyes. Where had that man gone? He was not human, that much Nuada was certain of. But what else could he be? He looked, and smelt, human. The Elves did not have much contact with Wizardkind during the reign of the Golden Army, and understandably Nuada did not know of them still, as he had been in exile while humankind over populated. 

“Mr. Wink.” The troll grunted. “Hurry up.”

Mr. Wink left the room silently; the two boxes remained on the ground. The lights went out, and the troll returned moments later. Screaming came from inside the auction room and with a smirk Nuada threw open the doors and walked inside. 

“No, not extinct,” he drawled, in answer to the auctioneer’s last words. They continued to scream at one another. The auctioneer stood at the front of the room, the crown piece held in one hand and a gravel in the other. 

“Who are you?” He asked, his voice tight. “What do you want?”

Mr. Wink followed him into the room. He placed one box on the ground by the door and passed the other one to the Prince. Nuada laid it beside his feet with a smile. He looked at the auctioneer. “Who was that man? The one who wanted to buy the crown from you?”

“I-I don’t know.” The man stuttered, holding the gold against his chest like a shield. “He’s from England, he said. He works for a collector, Lord Potter or someone. He had a strange name.” 

“Strange to you, maybe.” He drawled, walking closer. “But you are a strange race, are you not? Hand over the crown. It’s time it was returned to its rightful owner.” Nuada held his hand out, but the human refused to hand it over. 

“You can’t rob me!” He exclaimed. “I’ll call the authorit-” Nuada threw something at him, cutting him off. It was some manner of creature. The small creature attached itself to the auctioneer’s face and its tail went into the man’s mouth as it fed. 

As the other human’s screamed, Prince Nuada opened the door of the box by his feet. He watched Mr. Wink do the same thing. 

“Let this remind you why you once feared the dark.” 

The tooth fairies, all very hungry, flew into the room. They ate the humans, stripping their flesh from the bones faster than even a piranha could, and Prince Nuada watched with a smirk. 

In New York City, in a flat five blocks away from where Harry had lived with his father, two Wizards sat staring at the television. “He said no then.” One said, brows furrowed. They weren’t actually watching anything in particular, but the station was set to the news. 

“And then I insulted him in Elvish as you instructed me to.” The half-Vampire said with a smirk. “Why was that anyway?”

Harry smiled back at his friend. “I’ve always been able to speak Elvish.” Harry told the other Wizard. The Wizard was called Dalton Aldridge and he had attended Hogwarts in the same year Harry had been placed. During the final battle a Vampire had bitten Dalton, but the healer in the school had managed to save him from turning completely. Harry had been the only person brave enough to be Dalton’s friend during their second year. Harry’s other good friend Draco had graduated while Harry was still in fifth year, and Liz had left after his sixth, so Harry didn’t really mind the fact that Dalton was a vampire as long as he was a friend. After graduation, Harry went travelling with Draco, and Dalton trained to be an accountant. 

When Harry’s father died, he fled back to the Wizarding world. He legally changed his name to Marcaunon, but kept the name Potter because it was a Pureblood surname. While Dalton was fully trained, many people were hesitant to employ a vampire. Harry had sought Dalton out when he returned to London, and taken him on as the manager of his accounts and estate. Ever since then, whenever Harry wanted something, Dalton was more than happy to fetch it for him. 

“I asked you to use Elvish because I knew he would be there.”

“Who, Ainion?” 

“Prince Nuada Silverlance. Prince of the Woodland.” Dalton frowned, but kept silent. If Harry wanted to explain, he was welcome to. “I ran into Luna a month ago. She was the one to recommend I collect the crown pieces. She said I was gifted with the language of the Elves, because I am to be the mate of one.”

“The Prince?”

“That’s what she implied, but you know what Luna can be like.” 

“And yet you take her at her word, my Lord.” Dalton was frowning again. He seemed to do that a lot. 

“I trust her word, my friend, because she hasn’t been wrong yet.” 

“Is Draco coming by?” Dalton asked, mouth turning down in distaste. While Draco had married, and produced his first and likely only heir, it didn’t stop him from falling into Harry’s bed once in a while. When they were together it was just like being back at school, sneaking around and hoping not to get caught. Harry doubted Draco’s wife would care, but the papers would have a field day. Dalton didn’t believe in being adulterous. He thought that because Draco had married, he should have immediately lost all interest in Harry. 

“No. If I am to mate with an Elf, I won’t be able to see Draco like that anymore. It has been made clear to him.”

“He’s sulking, isn’t he?” Dalton chuckled. 

“He’ll come around, with time.” 

Time passed quickly as they spoke. They talked about Harry’s childhood in America, the things he had never told anyone but Draco. He shared those things with Dalton now, and the vampire listened silently and reached out to his friend when Harry needed the comfort. “Do you miss him?” The longhaired man asked. 

“I’ll always miss my father.” 

“Uh, Harry?” Harry turned his head, following Dalton’s gaze to the television. There was his brother, on the TV, falling out of the window of the auction house. With a crash, Hellboy landed on one of the police cruisers, before turning his head to grin at one of the cameras. 

“What an idiot.” 

“What the hell is that?” Dalton exclaimed. “Some kind of demon?”

“Almost,” Harry acquiesced. “My brother.” Dalton turned to him with wide eyes. Harry could only shrug in response. 

_XXX_

It had been years since Harry had last come home. He hadn’t quite managed to work up the courage to come home after watching Hellboy on the television. He watched Hellboy again, some weeks later as he fought the forest god. He had stood in the back of the ground, half of him cheering Red on, and the other half cringing as the old god, the last of its kind, was destroyed. 

As the rest of the crowd shouted and snarled at Hellboy, damning him for saving them, Harry stood silently at the back. And he clapped. Hellboy might not have heard him, but Prince Nuada did. 

The Prince watched the man clap slowly. Green eyes watched the demon, and the man by his side was the same man from the auction house. Nuada leant down, closer to the roof of the building he was perched upon. He wanted a better look at the young man called Ainion. 

“We should go.” Dalton said softly. 

“I’m going to have to go back, aren’t I?”

“Yes. You should have gone back sooner.” The vampire chided his friend. “You belong there.”

”I know. Do you think he’ll spank me again?” 

“He’s spanked you!?” Dalton exclaimed. 

Nuada watched them avidly. The green-eyed man, the one with the short black hair, looked good enough to eat. He sniffed, nostrils flaring, but he could only catch the rain and the flowery scent the dead forest god gave off. There was something about the other human, (though if he’s name was Ainion then he couldn’t be an ordinary human), that had gotten hold of the Prince. 

“Yeah, I was thirteen, and we went to this Explorer’s Club in the city. Well, actually Hellboy went, and I snuck along after him. They had just gotten hold of this Mummy, and it was awake and it told Hellboy a story. I got curious. I prodded the Mummy, and I knocked it over. Considering it was rather old, it turned to dust. The club members blamed Hellboy and threw him out of the Club. When we got home, he was so angry with me. He threw me over his lap the second there was somewhere to sit down and spanked me in front of everyone! I mean, everyone! I don’t think my father has ever laughed so hard.” Harry’s cheeks were flaming red by the end of his story. 

“That is priceless.” Dalton chuckled. He took Harry by the arm and started leading him away from the crowd. “It must have been kind of cool to have an older brother.”

“You realize that Hellboy is thirty-six years older than me, right? That’s like having two fathers!” 

“Bet you loved it, though.” 

“Yeah I did.” Dalton threw his arm around Harry’s neck and the two of them continued to walk back to their flat. Neither of them noticed Nuada following them home. 

The Prince snuck in through the window as the two Wizards slept. He was very pleased to note they had separate bedrooms. He stood by the edge of Harry’s bed, his hand hovering over the man’s forehead. Finally, he touched the man’s fringe, pushing it back out of the way. The lightening bolt shaped scar on his forehead didn’t stand out as much as it did while Voldemort was alive, but it was still there. Nuada traced it with his fingertip, a small frown on his face as he imagined this man in pain. 

“Who are you? What are you to me?” 

“You don’t know?” A voice asked from behind him. 

Nuada spun around, his dagger in his hand. He had been nicknamed ‘Silverlance’ because of his habit of using collapsible daggers, that could grow in length to form a rather long, sharp spear. The point of the spear embedded in the wall, as the vampire used his super fast reflexes to dodge the weapon. “What are you?”

“Half vampire.” Dalton told him, eyeing the weapon warily. 

Nuada pulled it back, and when it was the length of a dagger again he tucked it into his belt. “Lle holma ve' edan.”10 

“Hey now, there’s no need to insult me. This is my house remember.”

“I am Prince Nuada.”

“I know who you are. The one who killed his father over some jewellery?” Nuada bared his teeth at the vampire, snarling lightly. “You’re going to wake him up. Perhaps we should continue this at another time?” 

Nuada took another quick look at the human in the bed, before he jumped out of the window. He landed gracefully, on his feet, four stories below them. He didn’t look back as he walked away. Dalton spent the rest of the night sitting, wide-awake, at the edge of Harry’s bed in case the Elf came back. 

_XXX_

When Harry finally arrived at Professor Bruttenholm’s old home the place seemed to be deserted. Harry frowned at Dalton, looking around for the usual guards who patrolled outside of the mansion. 

“I smell blood.” Dalton said after a moments pause. “A lot of blood.”

“Probably the guards.” Harry said calmly. Yes people had died, but they were not his concern. Nuada was probably already here. He had to keep the Prince from awakening the Golden Army; that was the reason Luna had warned him of the Elf’s plans. From what he had heard, and seen on TV, the Princess Nuala was living with his family as well. “Come on, I know another way inside.”

Hellboy jumped to the side, dodging the spear for a second time. The alcohol in his system made everything fuzzy. The room was spinning, but that damn Elf kept thrusting the weapon towards him and he wasn’t just going to stand there and get stabbed. He tripped. For a moment he thought the ground was rising up to meet him, and he didn’t see the metal point of the spear fly towards his chest. But Liz did. 

“RED!” She screamed. Her worry for her lover was unnecessary, however. At the very last moment, before the spear could touch Hellboy, another body blocked its path. 

“Tanya awra!”11 Harry hissed. He looked down at the metal tip that had broken off from the spear, and was sticking out of his chest, inches from his heart. He looked up at Nuada in time to see the spear apparently heal itself, re-growing the tip of the weapon without magic. “Bloody fucking hell, that hurt!” 

The Elvin prince watched the human man. His hand was pressed against the wound, and strangely the metal had not moved an inch. Nuada knew for a fact that if a human were to go near the metal to remove it, it would keep inching closer and closer to the victim’s heart. But it wasn’t moving. Maybe this boy wasn’t human? The scent of the man’s blood finally reached him, and he breathed in deeply, nostrils flaring. His eyes widened, mouth opening in shock. “Melanin?” He asked, voice soft as a feather.

Beside him, his twin sister gasped at her brother’s word. “Mate?” She asked him, her voice hushed so only he would hear her. “You must heal him. Nuada, heal your mate!” 

Harry had remained on his feet. His face was flushed, and the vampire hovered close to his side, worrying his bottom lip. Harry looked strangely calm for someone who had been stabbed, for someone who was going to die. But then again, he thought, no one really knows what happened to me during the war, except Liz. And even then she didn’t know that Harry had died, and remained dead for five full minutes. He looked straight at Nuada; his green eyes alight with pain and sadness. 

Nuada shook his head lightly. He could not give up his quest now, not when he would soon have all three pieces. Not when he had come so far. “No ce ammaer ab lû thent.”12 Prince Nuada whispered, wide eyes holding the gaze of his mate’s. He took hold of his sister’s arm, his grip punishingly tight. Together they disappeared. When they were gone, Harry allowed himself to collapse to the floor. 

_XXX_

“At least he doesn’t have the last piece,” Johann Krauss said. He was the spirit of a medium, housed in a special suit that enabled him to walk and talk and touch things. “That’s a good thing.”

“We have to rescue the Princess.” Abe Sapien said. One hand was held behind his back, and the other was clutching at Johann’s suit. “Please!”

“It’s too dangerous. We have to focus on finding the hidden final piece of the crown.” 

Harry watched them argue from where he sat. Dalton, not being technically living, had been able to remove the piece of metal from his chest. He had used his own magic to heal himself, but Mr. Krauss wasn’t taking any chances with his safety. He was banned from searching for the crown piece, apparently no one was rescuing the Princess, and he wasn’t even allowed to tell Hellboy that Liz was pregnant. 

The hand Abe held behind his back clenched and unclenched. Harry’s eyes caught the flash of something shinny, hidden beneath his blue fingers. Harry rolled his eyes. When Abe stormed from the room, Harry followed him, ignoring Krauss and Director Tom Manning who were calling for him to come back and rest where they could keep him safe. Harry snorted at the thought that a human and a bag of smoke could protect him better than he could protect himself. He knew he would get stabbed, but he knew he would survive. He wasn’t sure if Hellboy would though, so he had figured the end justified the means, and allowed the spear to impale him. 

“You have the last piece.” Harry said, looking around to make sure no one else was there. He spotted Hellboy who waved slowly, but didn’t come any closer. 

“No,” Abe protested. “No I don’t.”

“Blue, I’ve grown up with you. I know you better than that.”

“I have to save her, Ainion, I have to.” Abe clutched at Harry’s shirt, pulling the younger man against him. The boy looked no older than early twenties, despite the fact that he was almost in his thirties. Harry had come to terms with the fact that he would always be small. 

“She is your Melanin.”

“What? I don’t understand that language Harry.”

“All Elves have a soul mate, one person they are destined to love forever. However, with the expansion of human kind, and the fact that elves find it hard to reproduce, in recent years its become harder and harder to find a Melanin. You appear to be the Princess’ soul mate, just as I belong to the Prince.” 

“Nuala and I, we connect with one another. When she’s around, it’s like I’m different, better than I could ever hope to be. She completes me. She makes me happy. And I am told I make her happy as well. The Prince did not appear to react to you like that, Ainion.” Abe spoke slowly, not wanting to offend his youngest family member. 

Harry just chuckled. “The Princess’ heart is more open than her brother’s. In time, he will learn to feel what the Valar intended him to feel.” He smiled slowly. “He is already attracted to me. He spent the other night watching me sleep.”

“That was, uh, more than I needed to know.” 

Harry merely laughed harder. When he had calmed, he held his hand out and Abe placed the piece of the crown within the younger man’s palm. “Let’s go find the Golden Army.”

“You aren’t going anywhere without us!” Liz chided, coming up from behind them. 

Harry was quick to hide the piece of gold, knowing full well that the others wouldn’t let him hand it over. “Of course you are coming. Dalton, you ready?”

“Yes, my Lord, I am.” The vampire gave a low bow, and then stood ready and waiting. “How are we getting there?”

“We’ll borrow a plane,” Johann said. If he had a face, Harry thought he might have been smirking. 

_XXX_

Harry had it all planned out in his head. He was going to arrive and say something witty in Elvish, and catch Nuada off his guard. Then he had planned to trade the crown piece for the Princess’ freedom. He’d hand her over to Abe, then go to give the piece to Nuada. The Prince would then realize they were meant to be together, because Luna had promised the Prince would come to terms with it in time, and they would kiss, forgetting all about the Golden Army. And then Hellboy would say something to embarrass him. 

But that wasn’t how it had happened. 

It couldn’t have gone more wrong if Harry had planned it to. 

When they arrived Nuada had his sister by the arm and they were both shouting. It looked, for a moment, as if the Prince might strike her, but Harry knew better. The empath, Abe, should have known that as well, but he let his own emotions take control of him. “Marcaunon, give him the crown piece!” He shouted, and both of the Elves turned to stare at him. 

“We don’t have the crown piece,” Hellboy said slowly, flicking the ash off of his cigar. 

“Yes he does. Give to him. He’s hurting her.” Abe continued to shout. Harry rolled his eyes, exasperated. He was about to speak, but there was a dagger at his throat. Nuada’s free hand was around his waist, and he led the man towards the dais hurriedly, the dagger never moving from his neck. 

Nuada did not seem to care that it was his mate he was threatening. Though, in truth it bothered him a lot and he was just very good at hiding his discomfort. Nuala watched him with worried eyes, her hands pressed to his mouth. “Give me the piece,” Nuada ordered. 

“Hû nîn mant han,”13 Harry told him with a smirk. 

The dagger pressed just that bit closer to him, and Nuada hissed against his ear, “give it to me.” 

“Garich i dhôl goll o Orch.”14 Harry hissed at him, eyes narrowed in anger. It wasn’t so much that he was angry at being threatened. It was more the fact that the Prince seemed to be rejecting him as a mate, and that was what made him angry. He had given up Draco, whom he had once love, and loved still, so he could be with his Melanin. And the Prince thought that an army of bloody metal was more important that Ainion. 

“Anno nin-”15 Nuada shouted. He trailed off as Harry held out the golden crown piece. He snatched it from his mate’s hand, and pushed the boy away. Harry stumbled, but righted himself before he could fall. Nuada watched him, his hand came out in case he had to catch the other man but Harry pushed the hand away. He stalked off the dais and went to stand by his brother. 

“Save it, Red,” he snarled before the demon could even open his mouth. 

Harry had watched him awaken the Golden Army, and he had watched as his family fought them off. Strangely (or perhaps not so strange he thought as he noticed Nuada’s gave never left his person) none of the army attempted to attack him. That fact didn’t stop him from attacking the army though. He never moved from where he stood, but he waved his wand in front of him and the golden machines fell to pieces in front of him. 

Hellboy gave him a high five, and pulled Liz into a hug when the last of the army was destroyed. “It’s not that easy,” Harry whispered, interrupting the celebration. 

“You cannot kill something that does not live,” Dalton added. He pointed at the machines. They were slowly pulling themselves back together again, reattaching severed limbs and heads. 

“Oh shit,” Hellboy cursed. Nuada’s smile stretched across his face. 

There had been no other choice. Hellboy had to challenge Nuada’s right to command the Golden Army, and Nuada had to accept. Harry watched them fight one another. Each attacking, and defending, and parrying in turn. When his brother’s sword caught the Prince across the face, the Princess bled as well. Harry’s heart clenched at the sight of blood on the Elf’s face, but he hurt just as much when it was his brother who was injured. When they finally stopped fighting, Nuada lay panting on the ground. Hellboy held the spear to his throat. 

“Kill me,” the Prince said, “for I will not stop.”

“Don’t!” Abe cried, “You’ll kill the Princess as well.” Abe had rushed to her side, and was now holding her hands tightly as she smiled warmly back at him. Nuada turned his head to watch them, before his eyes sought out Harry’s. Green eyes watched him, carefully assessing his injuries, but they did not seem to hold any emotion for him apart from worry that he might die and take Nuala with him. He turned his face away slowly, hesitantly looking away from his mate. His mate did not want him. He did not want to live with that knowledge. It was selfish to damn his sister, but he could not live knowing he had driven his Melanin to despise him. 

He stood, crouched behind Hellboy whose back was turned, and pulled a knife out of his boot. He raised his hand, and prepared to jump. Once again, he found Harry between his blade and his intended target. “Daro I!”16 Harry said, slapping the knife from the Prince’s hand. “Is it so hard to not pick a fight?”

“Reminds me a bit of Draco, don’t you think?” Dalton drawled, coming to stand beside his friend. 

Hellboy turned around. He still held the spear in his hand and he raised it to Nuada. “Ainion, get out of the way.”

“No.” The Wizard answered, swallowing. He didn’t like going against his brother’s instructions, because his brother generally only ordered him around to keep him safe. But he wouldn’t allow the Prince to be killed. “No, Aratoamin, I won’t let you.”17

“You have to, Marcaunon. Now get out of my way.” He took a step forward but Harry didn’t budge. 

“How dare you threaten him?” Nuada hissed. He reached out and took hold of Harry’s arm. He pulled the boy backwards, moving to stand protectively in front of his mate. He crouched down, preparing himself to jump to his mate’s defence, but the red demon just stared back at him slack jawed. 

“What are you doing?” Hellboy asked incredulously. 

“He is protecting his Melanin,” Nuala answered. She had a knife in her hand as well, and it was poised above her own heart. “Should I?” She asked softly, her gaze searching Harry’s. 

“No. No one needs to die today. Please put it down, Princess.” She lowered her hand, and Abe was quick to take her weapon away. “Can you all just go outside for a minute? Please?” Harry looked around at them. They were his family, new and old, and most of them had learnt better than to argue with the young man when he wanted something. 

“We’re right outside, Ainion, ok?” Liz said softly as she reached out to take the crown from Hellboy. As she left the room, she set it on fire, melting the gold beyond repair. 

“If you scream, I’ll know you want help.” Dalton grinned cheekily, “plus, I’ll smell you if you bleed.”

“Well, I know I’m safe with you around,” Harry deadpanned, his tone very dry. The vampire chuckled, and even Hellboy cracked a smile at his brother’s dark sense of humour. 

“If you need me,” the demon said. 

“I will always need you, but I’m big enough to take care of myself, don’t you think?” Hellboy gave him a pat on the back, and it was strong enough to send Harry pitching forward. Nuada’s arms around his waist steadied him, and kept him from falling. 

“Hello.” The Elf said. 

Their faces were inches apart. With a smile, Harry did what he had planned to do from the beginning. He leant in closer, his lips meeting those of the immortal, and he moaned softly as the arms around him tightened. Their lips moved against one another’s, the soft flesh parting beneath curious tongues. Harry gave another moan, having found himself pinned against the floor, with the Elf above him, pressing down against him. 

He could feel every inch and hard plane of Nuada’s body, every muscle. Harry pulled his head back, panting, trying to draw in as much breath as he could before Nuada’s mouth moved back to claim his own. Hand’s tangled in the Elf’s long blond hair, pulling his head down further. Harry’s legs rose, curling around Nuada’s hips, locking the other body in place. 

Their clothing remained in place, and their bodies were not joined that night, but Nuada felt Harry come into his heart and his soul, and he knew they had become one in the way that mattered most. Harry felt the rush of the other’s magic through him, and he arched his back. His orgasm rushed through him, and where he was hard a moment ago, he was now soft and sticky and satisfied. Nuada continued to rock on top of him, his release having passed as well, and he smiled down at his Melanin. 

“I am sorry I harmed you.” His fingers reached out to brush Harry’s throat. There was no mark, but Nuada could envisage the exact place where his dagger had touched easily enough. 

“It is forgiven. Just don’t do it again.” 

The Prince nodded slowly, another warm smile on his face. “I have not felt like this in so long.” He mused. “What have you done to me?” 

“How do you feel?” Harry enquired, reaching up to brush the Elf’s hair back away from his face. He placed a chaste kiss to Nuada’s cheek, and smiled. 

“Happy.” He was awarded with a kiss to the chin from Harry. “Le no an-uir nîn?”18 He asked hopefully, his fingers tracing the dips and curves of his mate’s face and neck. 

“For much longer.” Harry vowed. “Le melon.”19 He breathed, gasping as Nuada’s stole another kiss from him, just as passionate as their first. 

“Thank you, little one.” 

It was meant as a compliment, but Harry narrowed his eyes anyway. He didn’t like to be reminded of the fact that at 28, he still only looked nineteen or twenty-years-old. He punched Nuada lightly on the shoulder and scowled. “I’m not little.”

“If you say so, Melanin. Far be it for me to deny my mate anything.” The Prince chuckled, highly amused and rolled off of his love. “They are waiting for you. Should we go to them?”

“Sure,” Harry drawled, accepting Nuada’s hand and allowing the Elf to pull him to his feet. “I hope you’re prepared to be laughed at. Hellboy can’t resist a joke at my expense.” He pulled his wand out, and waved it twice, cleaning both himself and the Prince of their pleasure and then deemed them ready to leave. “Prepare to meet the family.” He drawled, swinging open the doors. 

“Ainion!” Liz gasped, the red mark on Harry’s neck still visible. Harry had not realized it was there so he had not healed it. “Is that why you asked us to leave, so you could get your freak on?” She grinned at him, wriggling her hips lightly, teasingly. 

He narrowed his eyes at her, hand flying up at cover his neck. “Have you told Red about the baby yet?” 

Her eyes widened at him, then narrowed. She silently promised him pain. “Baby?” Hellboy asked, looking between them in confusion. 

She held up two fingers and smiled shyly. “Babies. As in plural.”

“Twins?” She nodded. Hellboy grinned, pleased for whoever was pregnant. 

Harry watched them with a smile on his face as well. Nuada’s arm came around his waist, and he leant back against the Elf. His mate wasn’t evil; he knew that. He was angry and bitter at the human world and he had wanted revenge. He hadn’t gotten his revenge though, but he had gotten something better. Harry smiled at the Prince. Nuada pressed a kiss to his lips, smiling back at him, pleased with the outcome of the evening. So he hadn’t been able to destroy all of mankind, but he had a mate who loved him. And he could always convince his Melanin to take over the world with him next year. 

As if he could read his thoughts, Harry chuckled lightly. Some people just couldn’t change. He knew the Prince would probably continue to hate all humans, but him, for the rest of his life, but Harry was confident that he would be enough to distract his mate. Having the twins arrive soon would also help keep them all on their toes. Harry had the fullest intention of making Nuada help out. It would be good practise for their own future children, of which Harry wanted at least three. 

“Who is having twins?” Hellboy asked suddenly, looking at Nuala with a raised eyebrow. She blushed crimson and turned her face away, giving a quick shake of her head when her brother met her gaze. 

Liz and Harry looked at one another and laughed. Liz took Red’s hand and placed it on her stomach, still laughing, even as Hellboy’s mouth opened into an ‘o’ as his eyes widened. Harry shook his head again, pressing against the Elf as he giggled. His brother was stupid sometimes, but Harry loved him anyway. He rather hoped Hellboy never changed.

This group of misfits was his family, and freakish as they were, there wasn’t a thing about them that Harry would change. 

He was happy with them, just they way they were. 

He smirked at Nuada, and winked. He did like the idea, though, of expanding his family. He wondered what his Melanin would say to that. 

**The End**

Re-reading some of my old HP crossovers, to help get me in the mood for the new HP/Hobbit one I'm working on now.

1 – “Le suilon” [Lay swee-lonn] Translation: I greet thee.

2 – “Mae govannen” [My go-VAH-nen] Translation: Well met.

3 – “Lle tyava quel?” Translation: Do you feel well?

4 – “Mára mesta” [Mah-rah meh-stah] Translation: Goodbye.

5 – “Tevenyel” [Teh-vehn-yell] Translation: I hate you.

6 – “Ainion” [Eye-nee-on] Translation: Angelo, meaning angel. 

7 – “Marcaunon” [Mar-cow-nonn] Translation: Henry, meaning ruler of the home. (Harry: see Henry). 

8 – “Llie n'vanima ar' lle atara lanneina.” Translation: You’re ugly and your mother dresses you funny. 

9 – “Dolle naa lost.” Translation: Your head is empty. 

10 – “Lle holma ve' edan” Translation: You smell like a human. (It’s an insult). 

11 – “Tanya awra!” Translation: That hurt. 

12 – “No ce ammaer ab lû thent” [No kay ahm-myre ahb loo thehnt] Translation: May you be better soon.

13 – “Hû nîn mant han” [Hoo neen mahnt hahn] Translation: My dog ate it

14 – “Garich i dhôl goll o Orch” [Gahr-eekh ee thole goal oh orkh] Translation: You have the hollow head of an orc

15 – “Anno nin” [Ahn-no neen] Translation: Give me…

16 – “Daro I!” [DAR-oh ee!] Translation: Stop that!

17 – “Aratoamin” Translation: My champion. 

18 – “Le no an-uir nîn?” [Lay no ahn-oo-ear neen?] Translation: Will you be mine forever?

19 – “Le melon” [Lay mell-on] Translation: I love you


	2. Chapter II

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has nothing to do with Hellboy. But when I first published Chapter 1, a lot of people asked to see what was happening with the Wizarding World. So here it is :) Thanks for the responses!

Lucius Malfoy: “Let’s hope Harry Potter will always be around to save the day.” Harry Potter: “Don’t worry. I will be.”

**Words:** 11,319  
 **Chapter 2/2**  
 **Melanin II**  
2008

The ground was uneven, covered in thick grass in some places and scattered with large boulders in others. Harry, who was usually so graceful, found himself tripping over at least twice. With a scowl, he looked over at Prince Nuada who was easily keeping away from the more treacherous paths. Dalton, as well as Princess Nuala, managed not to trip up or stumble once. Harry felt a rush of annoyance, and jealousy, but he pushed it back. He was only human, and humans had an awful habit of falling over sometimes. He let out a snort, eyeing Liz who had fallen over for what must have been the twelfth time since they left the caves. Hellboy rolled his eyes, smirking in Harry’s direction before moving to scoop his girlfriend into his arms. 

“Put me down, Red!” She hissed at him. Her fingertips began to glow, the fire spreading through her hands and up her arms, but it didn’t faze Hellboy. He ignored the heat the flames produced and continued to carry her. 

“You can carry me as well if you want,” Harry giggled as Liz turned her head to glare daggers at him. 

“Take a flying leap, Ainion!” The demon sneered, eyes narrowed. Harry merely stuck his tongue out. “And we have company.” The red creature drawled. As Tom Manning came into view, Hellboy dearly wished he had a hand free so he could light a cigar. 

The Director of the BPRD ran towards them, panting and wheezing, as a handful of men in black appeared behind him. They all carried guns, and Harry watched with an eyebrow raised as they aimed them at him. “You!” Tom hissed, “This is your fault!”

“Yes,” Dalton agreed softly, “he also caused world hunger and aids.”

“I’m just evil like that.” Harry gave a shrug of his shoulders, his smirk widening a notch when Tom’s face flushed dark red. “Oh give over. Even if I weren’t here the others would have gone anyway, you know. So why don’t you get down off your high horse and admit that this wouldn’t have happened if you had agreed to be reasonable about things.” 

“Put me down,” Liz hissed and Hellboy lowered her to the ground. The moment his hands were free, he pulled a cigar from his jacket pocket and lit up. “Now see here, you have no right-”

“Absolutely no right!” Abe butted in. 

“-To blame anything on Marcaunon.” Liz continued as if she hadn’t been interrupted at all. “On that final note, I quit.” She pulled her gun out of its holster and threw it at Tom. Manning caught it awkwardly, the butt hitting him on the chin and he gave a grunt of pain before he managed to get the flying weapon under control. 

“Me too,” Hellboy drawled. He blew a cloud of cigar smoke at Tom’s face, and when the smoke cleared he was holding out one of his guns. “Actually,” he looked down on the gun as he spoke. He slotted it back into his holster. “I’ll keep that one.” He held his hand out to Abe, and the amphibian handed his gun to his friend. “Abe’s quitting too.”

“Positively,” the blue man said with a nod of his head. “I’m owed at least three years worth of holidays anyway.”

“Oh, Ainion! How about we go see where you live when you’re not here?” Liz gave a grin, completely ignoring Manning who was gaping at them. 

“Potter!” The Director shouted. “This can’t be happening.”

“I don’t have a gun,” the brunette said simply. “And it is happening.” The brunette vampire chuckled. He threw an arm around his friend’s shoulders and grinned at the dumbstruck human. 

“So we are going home then, my Lord?” Dalton smiled warmly at his friend. A growl from Nuada made him think twice about touching Harry while they spoke, and he drew his arm back. Nuada threw an arm around Harry’s waist instead, tugging the Wizard against his side. 

“Would you, perhaps, like to come see where I once lived first?” Harry smiled up at his Melanin, his fingers running lightly through Nuada’s silver-blond hair and he nodded slowly. “Good. Nuala?” He turned to his twin sister, and she smiled warmly back at him. 

“We have missed you, brother. It will be good to have you home with us.” She reached over towards Abe, and took his hand in hers. “Will you come also?” 

“I would be-” He paused; a shy smile flittered across his face before he pushed it back with a deep breath. “Yes, I would be honoured.” 

“Right so,” Harry said, taking charge. “Manning, get bent. You guys go pack or something. Dalton, bring them by the flat when they are ready and I’ll Portkey us all over. The four of us are going to see the Elves-” Dalton hummed under his breath, muttering, “the wonderful Elves of Oz!” but Harry ignored him. “We’ll be back tomorrow probably?”

“Yes, my Lord,” Dalton said, sweeping forward into a perfectly executed bow. 

“Where did you find him?” Hellboy asked, watching the vampire flick his waist length ponytail back over his shoulder and straighten his robes. “He’s a bit of a nancy, isn’t he?”

“If you will,” he waved his hand in front of him, and Liz was the first to resume walking. He flashed his fangs at Hellboy, snarling. “Wait till you meet Draco,” he chuckled when he was slightly calmer. “He’s more of a ‘nancy’ than I am. And need I remind you, your brother is gay?” 

“But my name isn’t Nancy,” Harry said with a chuckle, purposely misunderstanding them. “Come on,” he held his hand out, and Abe immediately grabbed hold. Nuada’s arm was still around his waist. When Nuala finally took hold of him, he gave a smile and with a ‘pop’ Marcaunon apparated the four of them back to New York. 

They stood in silence, while the two Elves tried to make their heads stop spinning. Abe, who had been apparated before, didn’t feel as ill as the other two, but he wasn’t feeling great either. Harry was the only one unaffected by the long distance travel and he looked around warily. They were standing beneath a large billboard, advertising the imminent arrival of a shopping mall. He raised an eyebrow. The Elves lived below a future shopping centre? 

“Shall we go inside?” Nuada asked as he held out his arm. Harry lay his hand on the inside crook of his mate’s elbow and allowed the Elf to lead him inside. 

It was strange, how they were greeted. Harry had heard that Nuada had murdered his father and beaten the entire royal guard, stealing the crown piece from his father’s corpse. It would be expected that they would be attacked when they walked into the throne room. Instead, everyone moved to the side, creating a wide aisle for them to walk down, straight towards an empty throne. Nuada immediately sat upon the throne, and no one said a word against him. Harry watched with confusion, Abe with curiosity, and Nuala with the knowledge the other two wished they possessed. 

It was a coronation, Harry realized, twenty minutes later when a crown had been placed on Nuada’s head. No words had been spoken, no noise made, but one Elf had come forth and laid a circle of gold onto the Prince’s head before dropping to the ground in a bow. Everyone around them, including Nuala bowed as well. 

Abe swallowed heavily and lowered himself to the ground. Harry looked on in awe. How was it they could forgive someone who had murdered their King, without apology or remorse, and accept that person as their new ruler? How could any person, any race, be so forgiving? 

“Ainion!” Abe hissed. The sound of his friend, speaking his name with such fear, brought him back to himself. With an embarrassed flush across his cheeks, Harry lowered himself as well, bowing deeply to the new King. A loud gasp echoed through the room, being repeated over and over until there was suddenly only deathly silence. No one dared to breath. Harry swallowed, wondering what he had done wrong. Abe had been worried that if Harry remained standing the Elves would take it as a challenge of some sort.

Though Harry might have known better if he had ever spent any time with Elves, he didn’t realize that his bowing to his mate was an insult. King Nuada narrowed his eyes and in a split second found himself crouching on the ground beside his Melanin. “Why do you prostrate yourself before me? Do you fear me?” His fingers gripped Harry’s chin and he raised the other man’s head so that their eyes met. 

“I love you,” Harry told him sincerely. There was a crease between his eyebrows, and his green eyes flashed with confusion as Nuada continued to frown at him. 

“Mates do not bow to one another, Ainion. Mates are equal, they have equal power and strength and respect for one another. Since you bow before me, you either fear me, or do not respect me. Which is it?” A part of the Elf realized that Harry had just been following everyone else’s actions, but the site of his mate cowering caused something ugly to stir within him. He did not want to see Harry in that position. Not only did it hurt his heart, but also he could only imagine what everyone else must think: perhaps they thought he abused his Melanin! Nuada shuddered lightly. 

“So I’m not meant to bow, even though you’re King now?” He allowed the Elf to pull him to his feet. “I don’t get this.” Abe let out a snort, turning his face away so that the Elvin King wouldn’t see his smile. “I don’t usually bow to people, ok, so not a word to Red or I’ll never hear the end of this!” He turned to glare at Nuada. “It’s ok for me not to bow right?” The King gave a slow nod. “Good, because it won’t be happening again.” 

Nuada led Harry back to the front of the room by the hand. He turned to address the rest of the hall, and as he spoke each of the Elves and Abe rose to their feet. “This is Lord Marcaunon Potter, my Melanin.” 

The King sat down, leaning arrogantly back against the throne as the entire congregation turned to face Harry before dipping their head in a polite bow. He then tugged Harry down to sit on his lap. Harry contemplated telling Nuada where to shove it, but then decided just to snuggle against his mate and enjoy it. Nuada didn’t know him well enough yet to not get offended, so Harry promised himself that he would keep his standoffish behaviour to a minimum. 

Harry didn’t pay much attention to the Elves from that point on. Most of them spoke to him in fragmented English, biting on their lower lips as they complimented his species with words they didn’t mean, half afraid to anger him and half afraid to anger their new King. Harry just grinned, and stayed silent. As he and Nuada left them late that night, he turned to their guests and gave a small bow. 

“Mára aurë.”1 ( _hello_ ) He spoke purposely in Elvish and took great pleasure in the shock that crossed the faces of almost everyone listening. _“It truly is an honour to meet ones such as yourselves. I hope that I may live up to whatever standards you hold me to.”_ Nuada gave a snort of amusement, and while Abe couldn’t understand him, he didn’t miss the obvious sarcasm. “Mára mesta.” ( _Goodbye_ )

They walked in silence, following behind two guards who led the way to the King’s bedchambers. The guards entered first, declared the room safe and then left, walking down the corridor backwards with their eyes on the ground. The refused to turn their backs to Nuada until they were about to round the corner of the hallway. “That was weird,” Harry said softly. 

He didn’t get a reply, or a chance to say anything else, before Nuada grabbed him by the shoulders and shoved him against the wall. Nuada’s lips cut off any complaint he might have made. Harry’s eyes fluttered closed, and a soft moan escaped his mouth, parting his lips just enough for the Elf to force his tongue through. The tongue caressed his mouth and tongue, tasting him and delighting in Harry’s unique flavour. When they pulled back Harry was panting heavily and Nuada was flushed a pale pink, staring down at his mate with wide awed eyes. 

“My Melanin.” He breathed, his fingers stroking the smooth skin of Harry’s throat. 

**(Slash Starts Here)**

Harry grabbed the shirt, tugging it over his head and throwing it to the ground. “Yours,” he whispered, fingers already moving to unzip his trousers. Nuada watched him with a smile, his eyes drinking in every inch of skin that Harry was exposing. Shoes and socks were thrown to the side, and as Harry was pushing his boxers to the ground, Nuada surged into action. He swept his mate into his arms, and carried him over to the bed. Harry was laid gently down, and the Elf climbed up to hover above him. 

They smiled at each other, breathing heavily; one completely naked and the other fully dressed. Nuada began to undo the toggles that held his robe closed, his eyes fixed on his mate’s face as he bared his body to the green-eyed gaze. 

“Beautiful,” Harry breathed as Nuada shrugged the robe onto the ground. 

The Prince smirked, “as are you, my Melanin.” 

Their lips met again, softly at first. Hands began roaming each other’s bodies, caressing taunt skin and mapping out the shape of their lover. Their kisses grew in intensity as Harry spread his legs wider, allowing Nuada to settle more firmly between them. Half mad with desire, Harry arched his back, panting, and offering himself for the taking. 

“Please?” He breathed, his lips travelling up and down Nuada’s neck. He bit down harshly, smiling when the Elf cursed in his native tongue. 

Fingers pressed against Harry’s entrance hesitantly. “Do you have anything?”

Harry looked up with glazed eyes and shook his head. He didn’t have lubricant, but he had magic. One whispered spell later, he was stretched and lubed and more than willing to feel Nuada inside of him. When no penetration was forthcoming, he growled angrily and reached between them. Nuada chuckled, allowing his mate to flip them over. Harry’s hand on his cock made Nuada groan, the heat of the other man’s hand scorched and aroused him in equal shares. Harry lined him up, seated above the Elf with a leg on either side of Nuada’s hips, and he slowly lowered himself down. The head of Nuada’s penis pressed against his entrance and he moaned. 

It had been so long since he had had sex with anyone. It had been almost a year since Luna told him he was the Melanin of an Elf, and he had kept himself to himself ever since. 

Nuada gasped, his fingers gripping and bruising Harry’s hips as he arched upwards, no longer able to wait for Harry to sink down in his own time. Harry gave a cry, his back arching as Nuada surged up and into him, filling him completely, almost painfully full. “Mine,” the Elf hissed, his fingers digging into Harry’s waist. 

“Yours,” the other moaned in return. Harry lifted himself up, groaning at the feel of Nuada slipping out of him. The King raised his hips, and Harry dropped down at the same time, and the younger man screamed as the head of the Elf’s cock pressed into his prostate. “Oh, shit, Merlin!” He cried again. 

He found himself on his back soon after, Nuada having flipped them without drawing out of Harry’s body. They rocked together still, Harry’s legs tightly wrapped around Nuada’s waist, his fingers tangled into Nuada’s hair, as the Elf fucked him delightfully and viciously. 

“Le Melon!” ( _I love you_ ) Harry cried as pleasure surged through his entire being. It started in his groin, a sharp tingling feeling that intensified quickly and rushed down to his toes, making them curl. His legs burned from the pleasure, and his stomach clenched and his heart beat faster, until at last it was too much to bear and he was arching his back, throwing his head back and baring his neck to Nuada’s teeth as he cried out. He came across his stomach, his cock remaining untouched. His orgasm was quick and intense, and it left Harry boneless and panting in its aftermath. He lay still, silent, as Nuada continued to rock on top of him, using Harry’s body to achieve his own pleasure. Nuada orgasmed a moment later with a soft grunt. He let himself fall to lie on top of his mate. 

**(Slash Scene Ends)**

Nuada rolled to the side, panting softly with a light sheen of sweat coating his pale skin. Harry looked over at him, eyes sparkling as he grinned. He gave a languid stretch, a groan escaping him as his muscles protested to any more movement.

“Time to sleep I think.” Harry said with a chuckled. 

Nuada didn’t reply. He tugged Harry against his side and held the other man tightly until he was asleep. When Harry was sleeping soundly, the Elf ran a hand over Harry’s face, memorizing him. “I believe I may love you also, Ainion,” he said, but only the walls heard him. 

_XXX_

Harry could feel him, but he couldn’t see him. Whenever he looked over he could only see a dark blur. But he could feel the evil it was permeated with. He could almost smell the cruelness coming off of the shape. It looked like the outline of a human, probably an adult, but it was completely black all over, except for its eyes. The whites of its eyes were visible, but the irises were as black as the rest of its body. Harry shuddered when it looked towards him. 

“My name is Ciaràn,” it hissed at him. “It means dark one.”2 

Two more people appeared from behind Ciaràn. A tall blond man beamed at Harry, running forward to throw himself into the other Wizard’s arms. “I’ve missed you, my love,” Draco Malfoy breathed against Harry’s neck. 

“Did you even notice he was gone?” Dalton Aldridge asked, nodding his head in Ciaràn’s direction. “How could you not have known?” The half-vampire accused. 

“It’s not Harry’s fault!” Draco said, his voice the same high-pitched whine it usually became when he was angry on Harry’s behalf. “How was he supposed to know?”

“Know what?” Harry asked, pushing Draco away from him. 

Ciaràn merely smirked at him. He clicked his fingers and Draco walked over to him obediently, a small smile on his face. “Who do you love?”

“Harry,” he answered calmly. His grey eyes remained fixed on Ciaràn’s black face. When the dark shape nodded, Draco leant up and gave him a kiss. 

Screaming drew Harry’s attention away and when he looked towards the noise his eyes widened. Dalton was on fire, and despite the fact that he was rolling around on the ground, the fire would not go out. Harry waved his wand, trying to cast a spell to help, but instead he cried, “Avada Kedavra!” Draco dropped to the ground in a flash of green light. Ciaràn laughed, coldly, and Harry was shocked at how much the shape sounded like Lord Voldemort. 

“I am the darker half of you, Ainion.” Harry saw a flash of white, presumably teeth, as the shape gave a grin. “My name is Ciaràn, but you may call me Harry Potter.”

Harry woke with a scream. He jolted forward in the bed, pushing Nuada away from him, as his eyes darted wildly around the room. There were three men in the doorway, and Nuada had been talking to them before Harry woke up. Two were strangers, but he immediately recognized the third. Dalton. 

Completely naked, but unconcerned, Harry ran from the bed and launched himself at the vampire. Dalton caught him instantly, his arms winding around Harry’s waist and tugging the smaller, but younger, man against his own body. “Shush,” he whispered, “everything is fine.”

“You’re not dead.” Harry breathed out in relief. 

“Well,” the vampire said with a smile, “I sort of am, you know.” 

“Yeah, but you aren’t on fire, so I’m happy.” Harry pulled away, rubbing a hand over his face. “Nightmare, sorry.”

“I thought you were over those.” Dalton frowned, his eyes narrowed in thought as he looked the other man over. “Was it bad?” He sounded worried, and Harry couldn’t blame him. Every other time Harry had had a nightmare that was bad enough to wake him up, screaming or otherwise, it was usually prophetic. 

“Yeah. There was this shadow called Ciaràn, who killed you, and I killed Draco, and Ciaràn said he was the other half of me. I’ve had worse but this one was just _bad_ , you know? It felt evil.” Harry sighed. “You remember I told you how angry Hellboy got that time Liz died? Well, it was like that. This person, it felt Hellboy angry, and hell evil.” 

“That’s not good.” Dalton agreed.

“Why are you here?” Harry asked suddenly, taking two steps away from his friend. 

“Gringotts wrote to you. The owl came by the flat. I forced the note from it and sent it off again. I, uh, read your mail for you. It’s a good thing we’re going home.” 

“Why? What do Gringotts want?”

“The Goblins need to tell you something. Most of it was outlined in the letter, but I think it would be best if we were in a magic dampened building before you had a tantrum.” Dalton reached out to grip Harry’s shoulder and gave it a squeeze. Nuada stepped from the bed, eyes narrowed, and he dressed silently as they spoke. 

“What to they want to tell me?” 

“You are naked.” Nuada hissed, handing Harry’s trousers over. 

“The Goblins want to tell me I’m naked? Oh, I’m naked! Right.” He took the trousers, fighting back an embarrassed blush and pulled the pants on. He ignored the two guards completely, keeping his eyes on the ground by Nuada’s feet as he continued dressing. “When are we leaving?”

“The Goblins sent a Portkey. The three of us can go now, and the others can follow. Griphook promised to send a Portkey to the flat for them, as soon as the Department of International Magical Travel sign the paperwork.” Dalton smirked softly, his eyes raking over Harry’s legs. “Your trousers are on inside out,” he said with a chuckle. 

“Up and shut, Aldridge.” With a click of his fingers, Harry magically fixed his clothing. He ran his hands down each pant leg, smoothing out the creases before he nodded. He turned to Nuada and smiled. “Good morning. I apologize for all the weird stuff that happens around me.”

“It is forgiven.” Nuada said stiffly.

Harry hummed, “so long as I don’t parade naked in front of more people? Sure thing.” He gave a small smile, and Nuada allowed the corners of his lips to twitch upwards as well. 

“You may leave,” he said abruptly, when he remembered the guards where still there. 

The moment they were both out of sight, Dalton held his hand out. In the palm of his hand sat a small round locket. It was open, and both sides held a picture. On the right, it was a picture of Lily and James Potter holding baby Harry, and all three of them were smiling. And on the left side, it was a photo of Professor Trevor Bruttenholm sitting down with a five-year-old Harry on his lap and Hellboy standing sullenly in the background, smoking a cigar. Harry smiled widely at the pictures. “Where did you get this?”

“According to Griphook, Luna appeared with it in her hand and told them it would come in useful soon. Next thing they knew, they needed to contact you and quick.”

“Told you,” Harry grinned at the vampire, “Luna hasn’t been wrong yet.”

All three of them reached forward, one finger touching the edge of the locket, or gripping the chain. “Portus,” Harry and Dalton said at once. Nuada’s free arm tightened around Harry’s waist as he felt a hook catch his abdomen. With a groan, the hook yanked at him, and he felt himself flying backwards, through time and space (mostly space, though) and landing with a groan beneath his mate. 

When Nuada looked up, Dalton was smiling down at him, and at the vampire’s side was a strange looking creature that he recognized as a Goblin. The Goblin gave a small bow before holding his hand out. Harry took it immediately and allowed Griphook to pull him to his feet. 

“It has been some time Lord Ainion.” 

“Im gelir ceni ad lín.”3 ( _I am happy to see you again_ ) Harry gave a smile, the only warning Griphook received before he was crushed against the Wizard’s chest in a hug. “How have you been?” 

“Very well. You?”

“Happy.” The green-eyed Wizard answered with another smile. 

“To business then,” the Goblin said. He waved his hand towards the cluster of chairs that surrounded the small desk. He took the chair at its head, and allowed the other three to sink into the chairs opposite him. “My name is Griphook Ironfist and I have been the overseer of the Potter and Black properties for the past fourteen years, whence I first met Marcaunon. When he is in the country, I help him look after his money, and when he is not in the country I look after his money on his behalf. Since he returned to America I have, as always, made it my business to keep an eye on his finances and investments. Last week Marcaunon Potter withdrew eight hundred Galleons. When asked why he wished to withdraw so much money, he was incredibly rude, but we managed to find out that you planned on seducing Lord Malfoy.” 

Harry sputtered. “I’m sorry, what? Draco!” Nuada’s eyes narrowed in jealousy. 

“Show me your eyes Ainion.” Harry leant forward, staring straight at the Goblin. “As I thought. Your eyes were almost black the last time I saw you. Lord Malfoy is outside; I’ll have him shown in, shall I?” 

“Ainion!” A voice cried just before two arms wrapped around his neck from behind. “I’ve missed you!” Harry turned, and the movement had the undesired effect of making Draco stumble. To steady his ex-lover, Harry grabbed hold of the blond’s waist and Draco practically fell into his lap, quite literally. 

“Hello to you too.” The brunette chuckled. 

“You know,” the blond drawled, “if you wanted me to get divorced, all you had to do was ask.”

“You got divorced, and never told me?” Harry nearly shouted. 

The Pureblood frowned. He moved off of Harry’s lap and happily sat down in the chair Dalton vacated. “Harry,” Draco asked slowly, worry making his eyebrows draw close together, “do you love me?”

“Of course I love you, but what has that got to do with anything?”

“But you don’t _love_ me, do you?” His voice was almost a whisper, but Harry could still hear the pain in it. 

Harry sighed. “I’m with Nuada now. Remember I told you, about being his Melanin.” 

Draco let out a humourless chuckle. “So they’re right? It really wasn’t you who proposed to me?” Harry’s eyes immediately zoned in on the diamond engagement ring on Draco’s left hand. “It really wasn’t you?”

“What is going on?” Harry breathed, even as he reached out to stroke the ring his own mother had once wore. “Where did you get this?”

“You gave it to him,” Griphook said, clearing his throat loudly. “Or at least a part of you did.” 

“Sen tîr?”4 ( _Is this true_ ) Nuada asked, his voice wavering slightly. His Melanin had mated with him only the night before, and yet it appeared he had planned to bind his life to someone else all along. “You wish to marry this human?”

“No. I left Draco so I could be with you. I don’t understand, Draco?” 

Draco swallowed heavily, and blinked several times. He appeared to be fighting back tears. Harry knew Draco loved him and had only married because his father had begged it of him. It was his father’s dying wish and Draco didn’t have it in him to say no when his mother chose Celeste Lacrosse, Pureblood from a French family. He had continued to love Harry though, and while Celeste never caught them together she knew that there were actually three people in Draco’s relationship. And that she would always be the least important one. If it wasn’t for Nuada, or if Nuada had died before Harry learnt of him, or if Harry had never gone back to America to meet Nuada, or perhaps if he had never been adopted, Harry would have been happy to love and live with Draco. They might have even gotten married before Lucius Malfoy got sick enough to demand a grandchild. 

“Celeste is dead. They found her a week ago, stabbed to death in Knockturn Alley. A day later, you took some money from Gringotts and told me you had booked a holiday for the two of us. You asked me to marry you, and gave me your mother’s ring and I said yes. I asked you who was going to mind Scorpius and you told me you would take care of it, and then you told me you had killed Celeste so we could be together.” He took a deep breath. “I should have known it wasn’t you when you said Scorpius had to stay behind.”

“Draco, I didn’t, it wasn’t me, I-”

“I know that now. I suppose I knew all along, but I wanted to pretend. Your eyes were the wrong colour.” The blond said softly. 

“We think we know what happened. We’ve contacted the Aurors and the Unspeakables, and we believed what happened occurred during the final battle.” Griphook began after clearing his throat again. 

Harry moved to sit in Nuada’s lap. The Elf held him tightly; unsure whether it would be the last time he would be allowed. His Melanin said it wasn’t him, and so were the others now, but to begin with they had claimed that Harry and the blond man were together. The blond was still wearing Harry’s ring!

“When I died?” Harry asked softly. Nuada tensed, his grip tightening even further. 

“Yes. When the Killing Curse rebounded off of you, it not only destroyed the Horcrux within your scar, but it ripped away a part of your own soul, the part most closely linked with the Horcrux.”

“The darker half of me,” Harry said, repeating the words from his dream. 

“Yes Ainion.” Dalton whispered, moving to stand behind his friend and the Elf. 

Griphook continued to explain. “As it was only a fragment of your soul, its magic was overpowered by Voldemort’s Horcrux and the two of them were sucked into hell. The soul fragment has been in hell for the past eight years and it seems it has managed to form a body and personality of its own. It found its way to earth recently and has since been obsessed with the last thing it remembers – loving Lord Malfoy.”

“The last thing I remember when I died was that if I was dead I wouldn’t be able to tell Draco I loved him anymore.” Harry said slowly, rubbing at his eyes with the back of his hand, brushing the tears away. 

“It was not pleased to realize that Draco was married, with a child.” Dalton whispered. 

“Where is Scorpius?” Harry asked suddenly afraid. 

When Harry had first entered the Wizarding World he had learnt that in 1993 his godfather escaped from Azkaban Prison, but was recaptured and sentenced to the Dementors Kiss. It was the year Voldemort rose to power again, the year Harry returned, that everyone found out that Sirius Black was actually innocent. Harry inherited Black’s fortune. But he also inherited his godfather’s sometimes lover, Remus Lupin. Remus went on to fall in love with Nymphandora Tonks, Sirius’ niece and Draco’s cousin, and they had a child. Both of the adults died in the final battle, but Tonks’ mother, Andromeda, took care of her grandchild Teddy Lupin. 

“He’s with Teddy and Andy.” Draco said. “He’s safe.”

“So, what is happening, is that I have a doppelganger, who has spent the past eight years in hell, on the loose, having murdered Draco’s wife and is probably planning to kill Draco’s son too so they can both ride off into the sunset together. Right. And on top of that, I’ve been robbed, by myself, who happens to be on the loose, looking just like me!” His voice grew louder as he spoke. Harry was shouting by the end of it. 

“That is it in a nutshell, Lord Potter. And I’m afraid we’re going to need your help to sort out this mess.” Griphook laced his fingers and laid them on the desk in front of him. “You yourself know how much you are capable of, and the Aurors fear that there will not be much they can do to subdue your alter ego.” 

“We’ll help, of course Ainion.” Dalton said at once, his hand moving to rest on Harry’s shoulder. It gave a squeeze and the vampire offered a soft smile. 

“Of course we will,” Draco said. He smiled brightly, even though Harry knew him well enough to know that the blond would have preferred to scowl instead. 

“The Portkey for the others has been sent. It will bring them to DA-RV-094/M(5). You’d best be there when they arrive.” Griphook waved his hand at the door in a clear dismissal, and Harry stood up at once, knowing better than to try and get answers out of a Goblin that didn’t want to talk. 

“While we are here,” Harry groaned, “I need to buy a headache potion. I’ll need a host of them, I’m sure, by the time this is sorted out.” Dalton gave a chuckle. The two blonds remained silent, but for different reasons. 

The moment they set foot outside of Gringotts they were descended upon by all manner of rabid fans. Young women begging Harry to marry them; old women begging Harry to marry their daughters; men pleading with Harry to save them; children wanting to know if he was ‘the’ Harry Potter; reporters demanding an interview with the famous recluse, etc. 

The green-eyed man rolled his eyes and grinned at his Melanin. “You’ll get used to it, it happens around me sometimes.” He told the Elf calmly. 

They stopped in front of the Menagerie, right beside a tall metal post (like a lamppost without the light). There was a small sign hanging from the post, reading ‘RV point 094/M’. Beneath the writing was a round button that was flashing red and amber. 

“It means someone is coming through. Like when a toilet says ‘vacant’.” Dalton tried to explain to the confused Elf, completely forgetting that the Elf had probably never used one of those strange portable toilets Muggles were so fond of. 

“I’m going over there, ok?” Harry told Nuada, pointing across the pathway to the Apothecary. “Stay with the others, and I’ll be back in a few minutes.” He raised himself up onto the balls of his feet so he was tall enough to press a chaste kiss to the Elf’s lips. “I love you,” he breathed, making sure to say it quiet enough so that Draco would not hear. 

A shrill alarm sounded twice then went silent. Nuada, the only one who had not grown up in the Wizarding World, jumped about a foot in the air. He faced the post with his dagger out, already elongated into a spear. Hellboy appeared out of thin air, a centimetre away from the tip of the spear. 

“Whoa! It’s ok; it’s just the Portkey warning. It makes noise so everyone moves out of the way.” The others from the BPRD, and Princess Nuala, appeared behind the demon, each looking as ill and disorientated as the other. “You’re all here, then?” Dalton asked. 

“Yes. Where is Ainion?” Liz asked, her hand pressed against her stomach as she fought not to be sick. 

“There he is!” Abe shouted, waving happily in the direction of the Menagerie. The amphibian ran forward, reaching out to hug his adopted brother. 

And indeed, Harry Potter stared back at them coldly. He was of average height, with black hair and pale skin, and he had the same lightening bolt scar as their Harry did, but his eyes were black and angry. He was dressed in an identical shirt and trousers to what Ainion was wearing when he entered the Apothecary, but this Harry had a large Cobra wrapped around his neck and upper torso. 

“Give me one reason why I should not kill you?” ‘Harry’ snarled. His wand was pressed against Abe’s throat. 

“Hello Ciaràn,” Harry said from behind Abe. Ciaràn lowered his wand, which Harry noticed was the wand Lord Voldemort had once possessed – yew with a Phoenix tail feather core. 

“Hello Ainion.” The doppelganger said, with a sugary sweet smile. “I so looked forward to meeting you.” 

“Why? I am you.” Harry grinned. “Well, except I’m better. I don’t need to kill people to get a date.” The brunette shrugged unconcerned when the creature hissed angrily at him. 

“Draco is mine!” Ciaràn snarled. “Come here!” His black eyes turned to Draco, lightening and becoming green as they settled on the pale face. Grey eyes widened in return, noticing the change in colour. When Draco didn’t move, the eyes darkened again, turning coal black and narrowing in anger. 

“You belong to me! I love you!” He shouted. Ciaràn dived forward, snatching at Draco’s arm and he tried to run. Hellboy was suddenly in front of him, blocking his path. When he turned around, Nuada had the lance pointed in his direction. He dropped Draco’s arm with a sneer. 

“He will be mine.” Ciaràn promised. He grabbed hold of Draco’s shoulder and shoved the blond man into the Elf. Nuada had to drop his spear, for fear of stabbing the human with it and angering Ainion. He caught Draco clumsily, but Ciaràn managed to rush passed him, escaping into the throng of people in Diagon Alley. 

Nuada pushed Draco away almost immediately after catching him. With a grimace, the Elf watched as his Melanin rushed to the human’s side, checking the blond man over for injuries. How was it that such a pathetic creature could have secured his perfect Ainion’s attentions so completely? Harry was beside him again, a hand lacing with his own as he tucked away his dagger. “Man mathach?”6 ( _How do you feel_ ) Harry asked quietly. 

“Jealous.” The King admitted in an uncharacteristic show of insecurity. 

“Le Melon,” was all Harry said, because there wasn’t really anything else he could say. Really, he should be the one feeling vulnerable, considering his mate hadn’t told him how _he_ felt yet. For all Harry knew, Nuada was just biding his time until a better mate came along in three-hundred-years or so. 

“Oh my, oh Merlin!” A voice cried. Harry actually cringed at the sound of it. “Harry! Harry, over here!”

“More past lovers?” Hellboy asked with a grin, lighting a cigar and bringing it to his lips. Nuada tensed again, before relaxing as he saw the horrified expression on his mate’s face. “Or not?”

“Aníron gwanna!”7 ( _I wish I could leave_ ) Harry sighed, turning his face against Nuada’s chest. “I’m going to pretend I can’t see her.” 

A pretty enough redheaded woman ran towards them, followed by another three redheads and a bushy haired brunette woman. There were three redheaded children with them, and the brunette woman was pregnant again. “All yours, Granger?” Harry asked, referring to the children. It had been some time since he was forced to speak to the members of the Weasley family and it wasn’t his habit to keep up with the private lives of people he disliked. 

“Oh yes!” The Muggleborn woman, who was the same age as him, but had been in Draco’s year at Hogwarts, nodded happily. 

“You Weasleys,” Draco drawled in disgust, “still breeding like rabbits, I see. When will it be your turn, Weaselette?” 

The woman who had called to Harry blushed in anger, but she turned to look at the green-eyed man anyway; fluttering her eyelashes in what she hoped was a charming manner. “Soon, I hope.” She gave Harry a coy smile, but he didn’t notice. 

Nuada noticed and with a growl he decided enough was enough. Ainion was his mate, and no one else’s. Harry was not permitted to have offspring with this red-haired bitch! Ginny Weasley gave a scream as the Elf launched himself at her, grabbing her around the throat and slamming her up against the nearest wall. He hissed at her, in a language she couldn’t understand and when she looked at Harry, her eyes pleading for help, he was laughing. 

“ _Listen well to me you filthy troll-child! Ainion is mine! He is MINE! Mine to mate with, and mine to have children with, but most certainly not mine to share with you. If you value your pathetic human life you will stay as far away from MY Melanin as physically possible. Or I promise you, I will not be as lenient next time!_ ” He spat at her feet, and pulled away. He hadn’t even noticed that Ron (Hermione’s husband) and his brothers, Percy and George had been trying to pull him off of Ginny. “Nai Valaraukar tye-mátar!”8 ( _May Balrogs eat you_ )

“That’s our queue to leave.” Dalton said suddenly, trying to smoother his snickers. Ginny had been in Luna’s year at school, and when she realized that Luna would accept nothing less than being Harry’s friend, Ginny had decided that she was also friends with Luna whom she had never spoken to for three years before hand. The vampire had always hated the annoying little girl. And it seemed she was still as stupid as ever. Having convinced herself as a child that Harry Potter was hopelessly in love with her, she turned down every date and marriage proposal she received and was still living in endless hope that Harry would one day tie the knot with her. 

“We’ll be staying at my Manor. I had Godric’s Hollow rebuilt after I graduated, but it is a little small for all of us. Come on, we’ll floo to Hertfordshire through the Leaky Cauldron.” 

Harry’s family didn’t really know what he was talking about, but they trusted him infinitely. In silence, looking around them in awe, they followed the twenty-eight-year-old Wizard into the only pub in Diagon Alley. And then they followed him into, strangely enough, a fireplace. 

_XXX_

“Pass the potatoes, please?” Harry asked. He held his hand out and waited. 

They were all sat around the dining table, which was made of solid gold and in the centre of a large room painted crimson red. Gryffindor to the core, which was understandable considering every Potter before Harry had been a Gryffindor. 

Dalton reached for the bowl, but Draco snatched it away first. The blond held it out to Harry, a slow smirk stretching across his face as the brunette took the bowl from him. Their fingers brushed, and it would have been innocent enough, except Draco’s hand moved after Harry’s when Harry pulled away. Fingers trailed along Harry’s wrist and arm, and all the while Draco gave his friend a teasing smile. “Would you like me to pass you anything else, Ainion?” He asked with a leer. 

“Uh, no thanks,” Harry said. He held his arm against his chest and used the other arm to spoon some potatoes onto his plate. He didn’t hand the bowl back, instead he left it sitting next to him even though it meant that he didn’t have enough room to eat comfortably. It was either that or risk being molested by Draco again. 

Nuada watched with narrowed eyes. It was the fifth time that the blond had attempted to flirt with his Melanin. He was trying desperately not to kill the pest, mainly because he didn’t want to upset Harry, but also because Draco wasn’t to know of Elvin customs anymore than Harry had known not to bow before him. If they had been surrounded by Elves, no one would have dared to approach his mate in such a way. Making advances on a mated Elf was tantamount to suicide: Nuada was well within his rights to execute the blond Wizard, as well as that irritating red-haired woman. 

But, no, he would not do anything to upset his mate. Was it only a day ago that he had held a dagger to his mate’s throat? He could not allow himself to treat his mate as badly as that again, nor did he want his mate’s emotional injuries on his own conscience. Malfoy would live, for now. 

“Would you like some kiwi-juice, Harry?” Draco held the jug out to him. The brunette shook his head and Draco put the jug back on the table with a grin. “I should have remembered. You haven’t been able to abide the stuff since we were in Barcelona. How long ago was that?” He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “Five years ago, maybe? Well, I don’t remember how long ago it was, but I certainly remember the night we shagged on the beach and you begged for my cock up-” Nuada shoved his chair away from the table, and stormed out of the room. Draco watched him go with a raised eyebrow and a smirk, “what’s his problem?”

“Draco can’t help himself.” Harry said, trying to excuse his friend. His family looked on in shock as Harry made to follow the Elf from the room. “Please excuse me.” 

“Was it something I said?” The blond asked, mock innocently. 

Harry found the Elf in his own bedroom. Harry had offered everyone their own room, but those in couples had chosen to sleep with one another. Harry hadn’t complained when Nuada informed him that they would be sharing a bed. The Elf was shirtless, his blond hair loose. He spun in a circle, jabbing his lance at imaginary foes, kicking out and flipping over backwards as he evaded invisible attacks. Harry watched him work off his anger, his wide with awe and his groin tightened in lust at the sight of Nuada’s bare chest slick with sweat and heaving. 

The King noticed him as Harry let out an involuntary groan. “You are mine,” he hissed. Harry found himself shoved back against the wall, his shoulders tingling where Nuada’s hands gripped them, squeezing rhythmically. 

“I am yours?” Harry asked with a soft smile. He knew he probably shouldn’t wind Nuada up, but the blond was going to have to get used to the fact that people would always want to be with Harry, because he was rich, famous and attractive. 

“You are!” The Elf surged forward, the entire length of his body pressed tightly to Harry’s. The brunette could feel every coiled muscle and the telltale hardness of Nuada’s length. 

“Prove it, then,” Harry whispered, leaning forward to brush his lips against the King’s. He began to draw away, but one of Nuada’s hands fisted into his hair at the back of his head, jerking him forward again. Their lips met roughly, teeth clashing and Harry gave another moan as Nuada lifted him of the ground and carried him over to the bed, his tongue still tracing against Harry’s lips. 

( **Slash Starts Here** )

They shed their clothing hurriedly, racing against one another silently to be the first one undressed. Nuada, who only wore a one-piece robe, was naked first and Harry stopped, fingers on his trouser buttons, as he drank in the sight of his mate. Harry licked his lips, unzipped himself and shimmed out of his pants. His eyes strayed down to Nuada’s cock, which was full and long, and it bobbed slightly as the Elf moved closer to his mate. 

A softer kiss was bestowed on Harry’s mouth as Nuada took it upon himself to undress the Wizard. 

“Accio,” Harry called, and held his hand out. A small jar of lubricant sailed out of the nearest drawer and landed in Harry’s palm. He opened the jar, well aware of Nuada’s gaze on him, and dipped his fingers inside. When his fingers were covered sufficiently, he dropped the jar onto the bed beside him, and lay back against the pillows. His legs were spread and bent at the knees, baring himself to Nuada’s gaze. A finger circled his entrance, and the pucker winked at the Elf as Harry pushed a finger inside of himself. The brunette threw his head back with a moan. He was still loose enough from the night before, but he was mostly preparing himself for Nuada’s benefit, not his own. 

“Lle naa vanima,” ( _You are beautiful_ ) Nuada breathed. 

He reached towards his mate, but Harry shoved him away. A second finger pressed into him, and the brunette arched his back with a moan, his eyes fixed on Nuada’s face. “I want to,” Harry told him softly, “let me.” 

With two fingers inside of himself, Harry pulled his hips up and then pushed down, fucking himself slowly as the Elf watched, entranced. Nuada reached over for the jar. Having watched Harry earlier, he copied the boy, swirling his fingers around in the lotion before rubbing it over his length. He crawled up along the bed, stopping above his mate. Nuada pulled at Harry’s hand, drawing the fingers out and freeing Harry’s body for something else to fill it instead. 

“I cannot wait any longer,” the Elf whispered. In invitation, Harry spread his legs wider. 

Nuada pressed forward; his length nudging at Harry’s hole, penetrating his body as the man raised his hips to meet it. Harry’s legs locked around Nuada’s waist, tugging the Elf down on top of him fully. Nuada’s hands clutched at Harry’s hips, running down his thighs and back up again. They kissed, tongues and lips rubbing against each other’s, eyes closed as breath came in shallow pants. They rocked together, straining desperately towards release but at the same time never wanting the moment to end. 

His cock brushed against Harry’s prostate, and the man screamed. He threw his head back as he cried out, seeing stars explode behind his closed eyelids. On top of him, Nuada chuckled, but it cut off into a strangled gasp as Harry clenched his arse, squeezing Nuada’s cock. Harry panted as he felt the coiling begin in his stomach, he reached down, wrapping his hand around himself and he began to stroke. 

Harry came first again. With a cry of ‘Nuada’, he released himself into his own hand. He watched, fascinated, as the Elf followed him seconds later, the clenching of Harry’s muscles around his cock too much for him to bear. 

**(Slash Scene Ends)**

Nuada rolled to the side, pulling Harry within and settling the brunette into the crook of his arm. “I love you too, my Melanin,” Nuada told him for the first time. Harry smiled, his face against the Elf’s chest. 

“I love you,” he replied, just before he fell asleep. 

_XXX_

The following day, Harry and Nuada didn’t wake until rather late. When they ate, they did so in silence and in the kitchens, just the two of them. The others were gathered in the library when Kreacher came to fetch his master. “Follow me, Master,” the House Elf wheezed, bowing at the waist and walking backwards. 

“Good morning,” Dalton grinned at the other Wizard. Draco gave Nuada a sneer, having guessed why they were so late rising and he wasn’t impressed by it at all. 

“Have a good night, little brother?” Hellboy winked at him, blowing a puff of cigar smoke into his face. Harry scowled. “So, details? How long, how hard, how loud?” 

Harry bared his teeth at the red demon, and hissed, “Rhachon le!” ( _I curse you_ )

“Yeah, yeah, with bells on,” Hellboy muttered, not having known what his brother said but being smart enough to guess that it was something unpleasant. 

“Anyway,” Harry said, clearing his throat. “Did you all sleep well? Good. Excuse me.” He turned away from them, most of who were desperately smoothing grins, and headed towards the fireplace. “Ministry of Magic, Minister’s office,” he called out loudly, throwing a handful of green powder onto the logs. A green flame burst into life, flickering wildly as Harry stuck his head inside. 

“Hello Lord Potter,” a tall black man said with a smile. He stood up from his desk and made his way forward to kneel before the fireplace. “How are you?”

“Have you heard about my double?”

Kinsley Shacklebolt grinned, his white teeth flashing in contrast against his dark skin. “Looks and sounds just like you, but is in need of a personality transplant? Yeah, I know of him.” Kingsley sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. “I also heard about what happened yesterday in Diagon Alley.”

“Yeah.” Harry blew out a deep breath and frowned. “I need your help, Lee. I was thinking about it, and I think, maybe, if we can push him through the veil it will either send his soul back to hell, or destroy it completely, or very unlikely but possible it may merge it with myself, joining us back together again. But, I need your permission for my friends and I to enter the Department of Mysteries.” 

“Very well, if you think it will help.” Kingsley said softly. “But be careful. You remember what happened last time?” Harry nodded. In his second year, Lord Voldemort had attempted to steal a prophecy from the Department of Mysteries. Because Harry had not gone to Hogwarts until he was fourteen, Voldemort had half decided that the other prophecy child, Neville Longbottom, must have been the real ‘hero’. Voldemort had lured Neville to the Ministry in hopes of capturing both the boy and the prophecy, but he hadn’t counted on Harry having a vision of the plan. Harry had arrived, along with Luna and Draco, just in time to see a Death Eater push Neville through the veil. 

“Yeah, I’ll be careful.” 

“Then you have my permission.” 

Harry gave Kingsley one more smile, before pulling his head out of the fireplace. He grinned at the group of people who were watching him worriedly. “Where did Dalton go?” 

“To Knockturn Alley,” Draco said. “He said he knew someone who would sell him a Snare.” Harry’s eyebrows furrowed, and then a smirk spread across his face. “I see you know what one is.”

“The only problem will be getting Ciaràn alone. I don’t want to risk trapping anyone else inside.”

“What is a snare?” Nuada asked, frowning over at his mate. 

Johann Krauss, who had remained practically mute since they arrived, began to speak. “A Snare,” he explained, “is a magical device, a trap if you will. It is shaped like a small box, generally in black. When the lid is opened, facing a person, they will be sucked into the trap until the lid is opened a second time. However, if someone becomes trapped with Ciaràn, there is no way to release that person without freeing Ciaràn as well. But it’s the best plan we have so far.”

“What were you going to do, Harry?” Liz asked suddenly, looking worried. 

“I was going to push him through the veil. But I wasn’t sure how to get him there.” 

Draco frowned. “The veil is dangerous Harry! But the Snare isn’t a permanent solution either. I suppose, if you timed it right, opened the Snare directly into the veil, he wouldn’t have a chance to grab onto you.”

Harry felt the wards tingle. With a frown, he looked towards the door. Dalton was the only person who should have been entering Potter Manor, but the wards were telling him there was more than one person. His eyes narrowed as the door flew open. 

“We have a problem,” Dalton said. He threw the Snare to Harry without warning. The brunette ex-Seeker caught the box, holding it against his chest. 

“Why hello, hello,” Andromeda said to each person in turn. She shook hands with Harry and Draco and waved at everyone else. Harry’s godson, Teddy, waited just behind his grandmother. The eight-year-old rolled his eyes at Harry and gave a grin: one of his front teeth was missing. “Well, where is Scorpius?” She asked with a wide grin. 

“What?” Draco hissed, his voice cold and angry. “Andromeda, you are minding my son.”

“Well, I was,” she agreed, “but Marcaunon collected him from me fifteen minutes ago and told me to go shopping.” She frowned. “I didn’t even need to buy anything, but Ainion said I should go shopping.”

“Where were you when Harry came?” Draco asked, clenching his fists at his sides. 

She frowned, “you know, I don’t remember. But it doesn’t matter, because Ainion is here. So where is Scorpius?” No one answered her. Instead, Liz reached forward and took the woman by the hand. Liz sat Andromeda down in a chair, and patted the woman awkwardly on the shoulder. Teddy followed his grandmother, his hair a sickly straw colour as he sniffled sadly. “He is ok, isn’t he?” Again, no one answered her question. 

“You didn’t tell her I had a doppelganger?” Harry scowled at the blond. He clicked his fingers and waited for Kreacher to appear. “Have you seen Scorpius Malfoy?” 

“Yes Master,” Kreacher said as he bowed low. He began to wring his ears. “Master tell Kreacher nots to be telling, sir.”

“I’m telling you to tell me, right now, elf, or I will punish you severely!” Kreacher said nothing still, but he squeezed harder at his ears. “Fine! Kreacher, go iron your fingers and come straight back here. No bandages!” Nuala looked over at him, her eyes wide in horror. “Oh don’t mind Kreacher. He enjoys being treated like this. I said ‘please’ to him once and he tried to strangle me as I slept. He only likes me because I treat him like shit.” He gave a shrug and a wry grin and waited for the house elf to come back. 

“Kreacher is being sorry Master. Forgive Kreacher!” The elf threw himself to the ground, his burnt hands stretched out in front of him so that Harry could inspect them. 

“Suitable,” Harry muttered. “Now, tell me where Scorpius is.”

“He is at the Grim Old Place, Master. Little master is at home, sir.” 

Harry narrowed his eyes and Kreacher gave a squeal and popped away immediately. “Come on Draco. Dalton, bring the Snare.” He held it out to the vampire, who took it with a nod of his head. 

“My lord, perhaps this isn’t the best idea you’ve ever had?” Dalton said softly, twisting the black box between his hands. “Perhaps we should call the Aurors, just this once?” Harry raised an eyebrow. “No, you’re right. Let’s go before I change my mind.”

The others waited behind. Harry, Draco and Dalton entered the fireplace one by one and flooed to Number 12, Grimmauld Place – Sirius Black’s old home. It was dark where they arrived, and the dust was at least two layers thick. Draco sneezes, and wrinkled his nose in disgust. His hand covered his face, grey eyes looking around for any sign of his son, as much as they flickered back to the fireplace and the clean home they had left. Dalton took a deep breath. One hand held the Snare, and the other rested on the lid, ready to draw it back at a moments notice. 

A streak of green light shot passed in front of Harry’s face and he threw himself to the ground on autopilot. He rolled onto his back, his wand raised. A second jet of light raced towards him and he cried, “Protego!” 

The red light bounced back the way it had come and someone screamed. When the screaming stopped, another spell was fired towards them. There was hissing, and Harry suddenly remembered the Cobra Ciaràn had purchased. They would all have to be careful not to get bitten. Draco looked at Harry, wide eyed, and nodded. He walked back the way they had come, and snuck around through the hidden door in the wall that Mrs. Black’s portrait had once covered. He appeared behind Ciaràn, shooting a spell into the creature’s back. Ciaràn screamed, turning around and slapping Draco across the face. The blow had enough force to knock Draco back into the wall. A child cried out, and the blond turned his head slowly. His vision was fuzzy and his head felt heavy, but he came back to his senses quickly enough when he caught sight of the tears on his son’s face. The three-year-old was tied to a chair, and there was a hand shaped bruise on his left cheek. 

“The little brat wouldn’t stop crying. He needed to be taught some manners.” Ciaràn hissed, raising his wand and pointing it at Draco. “Avada Ked-” He began. 

Three things happened at once. Firstly, Draco grabbed onto Scorpius’ hand, and apparated them both, and the chair, out of range of the Killing Curse. Secondly, Dalton lifted the lid of the Snare, sneaking up behind Ciaràn. And thirdly, Harry heard the beginning of the curse and dived forward, not seeing Dalton, and knocked Ciaràn to the ground. When the Snare activated, he was sucked inside along with Ciaràn. 

“Ainion!” Dalton screamed, and rushed forward to grab the box he had dropped to the ground. Draco grabbed his arm before he could open it again. 

“Let’s take it to the Ministry first. Marcaunon will be fine for a little while.” He was panting softly, holding a hand to the back of his head. Together they untied Scorpius. Dalton carried the toddler while Draco held on to the box. The blond felt a little too dizzy to be trusted to hold his son safely. 

“Where is Ainion?” Nuada asked. Draco held out the Snare. “Give it to me!” The Elf ordered. 

Draco clutched it tighter. “He wouldn’t want us to open it until we get to the Department of Mysteries.” The blond insisted. 

“Then we shall go to this mysterious place, and you shall release my mate from your prison.” The blond Elf said with narrowed eyes. 

“Mysteries,” Draco corrected under his breath, “not mysterious.” 

Dalton led them to the fireplace. No one wanted to be left behind this time. 

_XXX_

The veil fluttered lightly before them. It looked like a tattered black curtain, hanging from midair, and moving in a breeze that no one else could feel. Hellboy cringed away from the veil; the voices followed him, taunting him. Liz could hear them calling to her, begging her to join them again, to come back to where she belonged but she wouldn’t listen. Dalton could hear them snarling at him, spitting and hissing, calling him a demon then begging for his forgiveness, but he was used to it. The others could hear nothing. 

“It’s just a curtain.” Abe said, looking sideways at it, hoping that it would do something other than hang there. 

“It is evil,” Nuada and Nuala said at once, before turning to smile at the other. 

“But it is still only a curtain.” Johann reiterated, crossing his arms over his chest. 

Dalton gave a chilling laugh. “They know better, especially him.” He nodded at Hellboy, who would have been pale if he could have managed it. “The veil is the gateway to Hell, and it’s calling Red home, isn’t it?” 

They stayed silent after that. They spread out, moving to stand in a semi circle around the veil, with Dalton and Draco at the centre points. Dalton laid the Snare on the floor between him and the veil, and raised the lid. He jumped back into his position, wand raised, and waited. 

A light flashed through the room, and when it cleared the Snare was closed again, but empty. Harry stood before them, just one of him. He was dressed the same way they both had been, and his hair was the same length and colour and he was the same height. The snake around his shoulders was the same colour as his eyes; a green so dark they were almost black. But he was smiling. 

**“Who are those people, master?”** The Cobra hissed. 

Harry reached out to stroke her head, his fingernails scraping lightly against the scales above her nostrils. **“Those people are my nest mates, my family. And that tall one there, with the long blond hair, he is my mate.”**

**“He will give you good hatchlings.”** The snake said decisively, bobbing her head slowly as her lipless mouth split into what passed as a grin. 

“Cormamin lindua ele lle.” ( _My heart sings to see thee_ ) Harry said with a smile. He raised one hand to wave at them. A small gasp escaped his mouth as Hellboy grabbed hold of him and swung him around in the air. 

“Damn you! I thought you had let that other little shit beat you!” The demon squeezed his little brother against his chest, careful so as not to hurt him, and he pressed a kiss to Ainion’s head. “It’s good to have you back.”

“What happened?” Dalton asked, picking up the Snare from the ground. 

“We fought. I won. This is Nagini II by the way; don’t ask about the name, Ciaràn named her. Ciaràn disappeared and I have a blinding headache.”

“And your eyes have changed colour.” Draco pointed out, since Harry didn’t seem to have noticed yet. “But it looks much better on you than it did on him.”

“Well of course it does.” The brunette grinned. One hand continued to stroke the snake’s head and his other hand took Nuada’s, lacing their fingers together, and squeezing tightly. 

They left the Department of Mysteries, walking silently along the hallways and corridors, taking the stairs instead of the lift. Harry stopped at Level Three and they followed him. He stopped in front of a door that read ‘Department of Family Affairs’, and turned to the King of the Elves. 

“Since we’re here, and all, do you want to get married?” He said it nonchalantly, but Nuada could feel Harry tense, and he could feel the grip Harry had on his hand tightened slightly. 

“I would love to get married to you, Melanin.” The blond smiled warmly, his eyes sparkling.

“Good. Since we’re here already, and everything.” 

Nuada held the door open for his mate and the group filed inside. They headed towards the door marked ‘marriage licenses’, and waited as a woman offered to find the Officiator. She also sent a message down to the Minister’s office. As they waited for both men, Hellboy ran his eyes over his brother first and then the Elf. 

“So,” he lit up a cigar and took a puff, “which one of you is wearing the dress?”

“Futue te ipsum et caballum tuum,”10 Harry said calmly in Latin, a red flush already spreading across his cheeks. Liz gave a sigh, and clicked her fingers. Hellboy didn’t notice when her hand caught fire, but he gave a cough when she slapped him on the arse. He also didn’t notice when the fire jumped from Liz’s palm to his trousers, setting them alight. 

And Harry wasn’t really inclined to tell him. 

**The End**

1 – “Mára aurë” [Mah-rah ow-ray] Translation: Hello.   
2 – Ciaràn means “dark haired one”, but it also means “dark one”, which I suppose is referring to his hair colour anyway. It’s my brother’s name.   
3 – “Im gelir ceni ad lín” [Eem geh-leer keh-nee ahd leen] Translation: I am happy to see you again.   
4 – “Sen tîr?” [Sehn teer] Translation: Is this true?  
5 – DA –Diagon Alley. RV –Rendezvous Point. The numbers are random area codes (like a phone number) and the M – for Menagerie. After the war, the WW went through an overhaul. They now allow Portkeys in and out of Diagon Alley but they must be Ministry and Department for Magical Travel (international or not) sanctioned and they deliver at certain locations.   
6 – “Man mathach?” [Mahn mah-thakh?] Translation: How do you feel?


End file.
